


Keep it Under Control

by Lemon_drop_lantana



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, BDSM, Blow Jobs, Butt Plugs, Dark but not that dark, Dildos, Dubious Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Hand Jobs, M/M, Masochism, Painplay, Reno is inexperienced, Rimming, Rude is kinda fucked up, Sadism, Spanking, Stretching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:02:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 30,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26297590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemon_drop_lantana/pseuds/Lemon_drop_lantana
Summary: Reno breaks out in a full shiver when Rude rolls up his shirtsleeves to reveal his forearms, one of which is covered in swirls of black ink.  When Rude unbuckles his belt and slowly pulls it free from the loops, running a hand down the thick leather, Reno sways like he’s going to pass out.  He stares at Rude’s knees, taking shallow breaths.Rude doubles the belt in his hand and lifts his partner's chin with the loop.“Belt ok?”Tseng pairs Rude with Reno to help even out and protect the unpredictable younger Turk.  Rude keeps finding reasons to put his hands on his partner.  He's not gentle.
Relationships: Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 63
Kudos: 178





	1. Chapter 1

Reno was unhappy with the news. 

“Seriously boss? You’re gonna saddle me with the new guy?” He apparently wasn’t concerned about making nice with said “new guy,” who sat indifferently next to him in Tseng’s office.

Tseng gave the young man a calm glance. “Rude has been a Turk for two years.”

“Oh yeah? Well then where the hell’s he been? Sure as fuck didn’t help with the cleanup last month and I think I’d have noticed a hulking bald guy in the bullpen.”

“He’s been on mission in Junon since recruitment.”

Reno gapes for a minute. “Doing what?” After four years with the Turks, Reno thought he was in the inner circle, and he is a little pissed to think that Tseng is holding out on him. 

“Confidential,” Rude and Tseng say at the same time. It does nothing to improve Reno’s mood, nor his opinion of the broad, dark-skinned man who, up until this point, had been entirely silent.

The deep voice draws Reno’s eyes and the redhead turns his attention to the man who is apparently his new partner, unashamedly giving him the full once-over. Rude is built, and fills out his black suit in a way Reno couldn’t possibly hope to, with his lanky, eighteen-year-old frame. The man looks sharp, tidy, and wears his suit one hundred percent regulation. He's got a surprising number of piercings and for whatever reason is still wearing shades. Few people look as put-together as Tseng always does, and Reno definitely is not one of them. He doesn’t need more “good examples” strolling around the office.

Rude accepts the scrutiny with nothing but a sideways glance and a single raised eyebrow. Reno is skinny, young, disheveled, and clearly a loudmouth. If anyone were to protest, Rude feels confident he is the more justified. But Tseng has already given him his orders so there is nothing left to say.

_He needs a strong partner to keep him out of trouble. He was basically raised by the Turks, so he’s good... but there’s a lot about the world he doesn’t understand. Rushes in unprepared, gets himself hurt a lot. Your aptitude with healing spells will come in handy. Great instincts... but too reckless. I know you’re the man for the job, Rude._

And when Tseng of the Turks has a job for you, _yes sir_ , is the obvious and only answer. So Rude sits comfortably, cracking his knuckles, while his new partner scrutinizes him. Maybe it will be nice to work with someone after so much time running solo in Junon. At least he’s easy on the eyes. Rude has always liked redheads.

“You trust this guy?” Reno asks Tseng.

“I recruited him, Reno. His work is exemplary.”

“Fine. Let’s go, _partner.”_ The tone is scornful. Reno unwinds his rumpled form from the chair. “We’ve got heads to break.”

////

Their first mission is entirely too predictable. The only smart thing Rude does is refuse to let Reno drive. He’s never seen Reno drive, and by the end of the evening he’s more certain than ever that he doesn’t want to. 

The list of stupid things Rude does is longer. He agrees to split up. He agrees to move in on Reno’s signal. And he hesitates when he hears the fighting start, thinking that there was no way his partner would be involved. No Turk would be stupid enough to just drop into an alley with four armed men and start a fight solo. Not when there are so many alternatives.

But Reno is exactly that stupid. Rude isn’t even in position yet when he hears the first shout of alarm. He comes running around the far side of the alley to see that two men are down already, one body actually smoking, but Reno has been grabbed from behind and a thick man is laying into his chest and abdomen with heavy blows. 

Reno fights like a wild animal--snarling, throwing his head back, kicking back with his heels, but both men are larger and heavier than the lanky teen. Luckily, he makes a fantastic distraction. Rude slips silently down the dark side of the alley and breaks the thick man’s neck before either of the thugs detect him. 

“Took ya long enough,” Reno coughs out with glinting eyes and what almost looks like a smile, as the last mark standing shoves his skinny ass aside to free up his hands for Rude. The effort comes too late. Rude’s fists are already in motion and he has the man laid out with one hit to the temple and a second to the neck, crushing his windpipe. 

Rude looks around the alley to satisfy himself that all the targets are down, before he slips off his brass knuckles and tucks them back into his jacket. His new partner staggers to his feet, one hand wrapped around his ribs, and smashes his EMR into the head of the man who had been holding him, spraying both Turks with his blood.

“He was dead already.” Rude wipes the blood off his glasses in irritation.

“Yeah but it felt good,” Reno gives him a wild smile. In the dim light filtering in from the street, everything is black and white. Dark blood splatter on Reno’s pale cheek. White teeth, black eyes. His partner looks like a ghoul.

Now that they're safe, Rude's anxiety shifts into a cold anger. “You always this stupid? I gotta babysit you?”

“Fuck off, _daddy_. Everything turned out fine.” Reno is still hunched over, his breath shallow and raspy.

“We were supposed to get the address of their drop spot.” Rude takes his work more seriously than this. He delivered on every damn thing Tseng asked of him in Junon, and he isn’t about to let this fuck-up ruin his reputation now.

“You think I’m an amateur?” Reno spits out. “I overheard them discussing the drop. Why the fuck else would I take them out. _Unclench_ , partner. I took care of it.”

“Oh you did?” Rude says evenly. “Because it looked to me like you got the shit kicked out of you. Needed me to save your ass.”

“Ain’t that what partners are for, big guy?” Reno smirks at him, still breathing awkwardly.

Rude is done with this conversation. He grabs Reno by his jacket and drags him, still gasping, to the entrance of the alley where there’s more light. Pushes him roughly onto a crate, where the redhead slumps, semi-reclined, against the wall. 

Pulling off one glove with his teeth, Rude begins unbuttoning his partner's shirt, shoving it back to reveal his chest. He’s more toned than Rude expected… lean, rangy muscles tapering to a slim waist. Even more apparent are swollen red and purple blotches already blooming on the pale skin. Rude takes in their placement. Nothing too concerning. Organs should be fine. 

Reno is still breathing shallowly from the rough motion and looking at Rude with half-dazed eyes. The worst of it is a span of mottled red skin from Reno’s right pec down to the bottom of his ribs. Rude touches every mark on Reno’s chest before he finally presses his bare hand to those abused ribs and Reno gasps, eyes sharpening, brow furrowing.

“Fuck, man,” he groans. “Just cure me if you fucking care so much.”

“Not gonna waste my energy if you don’t need it.” As far as excuses go, it’s not a particularly good one. Neither of them say more about it.

Rude begins methodically pressing his fingers along the bones in Reno’s chest… feeling each rib one by one, from sternum to side. From behind his glasses, Rude keeps his eyes on Reno’s sharp, pretty face as he gasps, grits his teeth, and turns his head away. Rude locates every radiating crackle of pain and probes the edges of it, start to finish, until Reno’s muscles stop tensing under touch and his body goes limp and accepting. 

The bottom two ribs are the worst. Rude can tell on the first pass that they are cracked, but he sets the heel of his hand to them anyway. His partner finally moans, a perfect, gritty sound, but Rude continues to press until Reno’s eyes fill with tears and he tilts his head upward to keep them from spilling. His neck is beautiful. 

  
  


Rude hadn’t realized he had a type. His type is Reno in pain.

  
  


“Two cracked ribs,” Rude updates, as if they both didn’t know already. He takes his hand off Reno’s skin and pulls his glove back on. “I oughta make you walk home like this.”

But he doesn’t. He cures him completely, watching Reno shudder as the green light moves through him. Watching the purpling bruises fade. It’s not guilt that makes Rude return his young partner to his unblemished form. Rude is long past feeling guilty. It’s the confidence that he’ll see Reno marked up again soon.

////

It’s less than two weeks later that Reno is injured again. It’s another fight with the same drug gang. Another instance of Reno being reckless, although this time Rude is already in the alley with him. 

Rude sees the knife flashing behind Reno but he’s too far away to help. It can’t be too bad because Reno turns and kicks his attacker straight in the stomach, stalking after him with his EMR raised. Unfortunately, another thug rushes into him from the side and his head cracks into the brick wall of a building. Reno goes down but Rude is already there behind him, bashing in skulls with his hands.

Rude is done and crouched by his partner almost as soon as Reno’s ass hits the ground. Capturing his chin in a gloved hand, Rude turns Reno’s face to look into the fluttering blue eyes. Dazed for only a few seconds, they quickly focus and Reno slaps his hand away.

“I’m fine.”

He stands easily and runs his hand back over his head, through the short red spikes. Holding it up like a trophy, he says “No blood, see?”

“Turn around,” Rude says in his deep voice.

“Huh? Why?”

Rude just reaches under his partner’s arm and presses his hand flat against his back. With the adrenaline pumping, Reno feels nothing, but when the broad Turk pulls his hand back, the black glove is glistening with blood. He wipes his hand down the front of Reno’s white shirt, leaving a bright red smear.

“What the fuck, man?”

“Shirt’s ruined anyway. Turn around.”

There’s an eight-inch gash in the middle of Reno’s jacket. Rude slips in both hands and rips the material of the jacket and shirt wide open to get a better look at the wound. Not too deep, but in an awkward place where the motion of Reno’s left arm will pull on it funny. Most doctors would suture it before healing--it would reduce scarring. Rude’s positive he could do a neat job of it anyway, but damn if he doesn’t want to push a needle into Reno’s skin. 

Rude takes Reno back to headquarters. He’s sure someone will clean all the blood out of the car by tomorrow. 

“You gotta med kit?”

“In my room. You wanna play doctor, partner?” It's a question rather than a proposition. Reno’s habitual mouthiness. So Rude just ignores him.

The apartment where Reno has lived since he was fourteen looks like a dorm room. Messy, undecorated, and surprisingly full of dog-eared books. The tiny kitchen looks entirely unused, Reno must eat all his meals in the employee cafeteria. The medical supplies are in Reno’s bathroom, which suits Rude’s purposes perfectly.

He sets the kit on the toilet and makes Reno stand against the sink, facing into the mirror. It’s somewhat awkward positioning, but it allows Rude to watch him. Rude strips off the ruined jacket and leaves the bloody shirt hanging from Reno’s waistband. Checks out his chest in the mirror, enjoying the opportunity to take a better look than he got in the alley, but looks away before Reno can catch him. 

A calm, controlled feeling settles over Rude as he starts tending to his partner’s body. It’s a comfortable mental space to slip into. He pushes the red ponytail over a slim shoulder, enjoying the feel of it running over the back of his hand. The wound should be cleaned if he’s going to suture it so he wipes Reno’s back an alcohol-soaked pad, pressing firmly over the skin. It stings like a bitch and Reno just closes his eyes and swallows, gripping the edge of the counter. Behind his shades, Rude greedily soaks in every reaction.

He grabs a sterile suture pack and rips it open. Reno startles at the noise and looks over his shoulder.

“You’re gonna stitch me? You know what you’re doin’ here, partner?” He’s had his skin sewn back together many, many times. But it’s usually been in the infirmary.

“Hold still,” is the only reply he gets.

Rude pinches the edges of the gash together and carefully pushes the curved needle through Reno's skin. He doesn’t need to be rough. Indeed, this is exactly the time to be slow and gentle. The sharp pain of the needle and the sensation of the thread dragging through his skin is enough for Reno to hiss and drop his head heavily, leaning his hips against the counter. Rude misses the sight of Reno’s face but settles for watching the muscles in his jaw clench.

Rude allows himself only six stitches. More would be overkill as he’s about to close the whole damn thing up with a cure anyway. He doesn’t bother tying a knot at the end, just lets the needle dangle against his partner’s skin as he admires his work. It would be nice to run a fingernail along the stitches, but that might break this fragile façade he’s created. 

Reno’s head comes back up as the cure takes hold, knitting the skin back together, leaving it perfect and unblemished. He watches Rude in the mirror, eyes expressionless, as the dark man picks out his now entirely unnecessary stitches (only mostly unnecessary before), tugging lightly on the thread as he pulls the long end through milky skin. Reno shivers. Rude doesn’t meet his eyes. Just gathers up all the scraps and trash and dumps it into the can.

There’s something so heavy in the air it’s hard to breathe. Rude’s still throbbing with the sense of control. He has no idea what Reno’s feeling, but the younger man hasn’t moved from his spot leaning over the sink. Rude doesn’t touch again. No need to go further, there’s already too much heat building inside him.

“See you in the office tomorrow,” he says, heading for the door.

“Sure thing, partner,” comes the mumbled reply.

////

The two settle into a solid routine. If they’re in the office, Reno chatters away all day long. Rude starts to like the sound of his voice. It’s a pleasant white noise as Rude types up all of their mission reports--a duty he has claimed as his own after discovering that Shinra’s upbringing of Reno included neither grammar nor spelling.

On missions Rude still won’t let Reno drive, but he does let the redhead take the lead most of the time. Reno knows every dark corner and alley in Midgar and has eerily good instincts for how criminals operate. Rude only interferes in the planning if his partner is really headed off the deep end--requisitioning explosives is a warning sign he’s learned to look out for in particular.

They work well together on the job, well-attuned to the subtle nuances each throws. Reno knows that when Rude rolls his shoulders a certain way, he’s about to lose his shit and knock some fuckers out. Rude knows that when Reno winks at him, he’s going to attempt something entirely idiotic and he’d be smart to find cover.

Tseng calls the partnership a success with a self-satisfied smile. But Rude’s not sure that his boss would think so if he knew the full story. After all, Tseng wanted Rude to keep Reno safe. Whether he is or not is up for debate.

At the end of the day, if all has gone well, Reno and Rude nod politely to each other and go their separate ways. No matter how “successful” the partnership, they aren’t buddies. Although they are only six years apart in age, it feels almost like they’re different generations. Rude finds Reno too beautiful, too stirring, and too immature to spend extra time with him. Reno has no idea how he feels about Rude. He avoids thinking about him.

On the days where things haven’t gone as well, when the mission gets fucked, the pattern is different but just as well established. Reno, inevitably the one who gets hurt, ends up against the wall in the alley, in the back of the car, on his own couch, in his bathroom, writhing or shivering or gasping under Rude’s careful and relentless hands until the older Turk, satisfied that he’s seen every cringe and heard every whimper Reno has to offer, cures him.

Rude has no idea if he’s the only one who needs this. 

Reno seems to get injured more and more frequently.

////

It hasn’t gone unnoticed by Rude that Reno has never told him to stop. He’s made his younger partner gasp and grit his teeth more times than he has bothered to count, seen so many expressions of pain on the exquisite face, and Reno has taken it silently without complaint or question. Rude doesn’t let himself consider the potential reasons why.

It's a shock when Reno finally speaks up.

The wound is bloody, but not dangerous. A knife straight into the meat of Reno’s thigh… not too deep, but yanked out at an angle. Rude pulls Reno's arm over his shoulder and helps him limp to the car, limp to his messy apartment, offering some lame explanation about cleaning the wound before healing.

Rude dumps Reno onto his couch, shoving over a pizza box to make room. Then he kneels on the floor in front of Reno and rips open the pant leg. The gash is still oozing bright red blood. 

Looking at the blood trickling down the lean muscles, Rude takes a quick breath, to keep himself in check. Licking Reno's leg would definitely fuck things up. 

Reno has his head knocked back on the top of the couch and Rude can almost see the pulse in his neck. The older Turk pulls off his gloves and sets his thumbs on either side of the wound. With firm pressure, he drags them down along the length of it, causing more blood to seep out onto his hands. The whimper that crawls out of Reno’s throat is everything Rude has wanted to hear for three months. He wants to hear it again. Almost in a trance, he sets his hands back at the top of the wound, when he’s startled at the sound of Reno's voice, thick like tar. 

“Stop.” 

Rude lets his hands slide off Reno's leg, smearing blood across the pale thigh, and sits back on his heels, still and quiet. Reno’s gaze is steady and knowing, like he’s turned Rude inside out to see all the darkness inside. 

“That hurts, _partner_.” Reno’s voice is low.

“I know.”

“You’re not cleaning it.” Reno states the obvious for both of them.

“Not yet.”

“Heal it now.” The voice is quiet but the command is clear.

Rude does it immediately. The tension in the air is different than usual. Uncomfortable. Uncertain. Rude isn’t in control right now. He washes the blood off his hands and heads straight for the door. “See you in the office.”

They both wonder if that’s the last time.

////

The next time a knife goes into Reno, it’s far too close to the neck for comfort. Reno’s dodge seems almost lazy, but he does take out the man with a well-placed blow from his EMR. 

Before even a minute passes, the blood has soaked the whole front of Reno’s shirt, but Rude is stuck fighting a pack of dogs with tentacle-like tails. As the last one falls broken, he strides toward his partner with his hand already raised, materia glowing.

“Don’t,” Reno gasps. “It’s fine.” The redhead grabs the wrist with the bracer, trying to interrupt Rude’s cast.

Eyebrows furrowed above his shades, Rude looks at Reno in confusion. He fits his hand under his partner’s sharp jaw to tilt his head back. The other hand pushes the loose white shirt off his shoulder to reveal the full extent of the injury. It’s deep and bleeding freely. The wound starts in the juncture of his shoulder and neck, and curves down into the soft flesh near his armpit. His shirt is soaked with blood down to his hip. He’s already lost so much blood.

“Just take me home, Rude.” Reno’s eyes are glassy but intense. “Don’t cure me. Just take me home.” He won’t let go of Rude’s wrist.

Rude stares down at him intently. Tries to read that oddly pleading look in Reno's eyes. He’s not sure he’s ever heard his name pass Reno’s lips, usually he gets a drawling “ _partner”_ instead. It’s an odd sort of intimacy.

“It’s too much blood, Reno,” he says regretfully. He lays his large hand directly over the wound and squeezes, simultaneously casting a cure.

Reno’s eyes roll as he shakes with the pain of the hand and the strange tingle of the cure. It’s over quickly and he returns his gaze to Rude with a sullen, resigned expression.

“I’ll take you home,” Rude offers.

Reno is silent in the car. He says nothing when he realizes that Rude isn’t taking him to the Shinra building. They’re not going to Reno’s place like normal. They’re going to Rude’s. Reno has never been there, but he follows Rude like a duckling through the parking garage, into the elevator, down the hall, until they’re finally standing in Rude’s apartment.

It’s dimly lit and comfortably furnished. It looks like an actual adult lives there--someone who washes dishes and has a savings account and a wardrobe not issued by his employer, which of course, Rude does. He was more than twenty before he was recruited by the Turks. An entire pre-Shinra adult life. Such a wide set of experiences that Reno has never had.

Rude takes off his glasses and gloves and sets them on a small table. His wallet is thrown next to them. His jacket is hung in the closet and his shoulder holster removed and hung on a hook. 

Then he turns to his partner. Reno is standing as if lost in thought. Unsure what he’s doing here in Rude’s home. Unsure how much of the mental haze is due to blood loss and how much is something else--the familiar heavy feeling in the air.

Rude steps close and methodically begins unbuttoning the bloody shirt. Reno watches Rude’s hands undress him, long eyelashes lowered, until…

“Reno.” The expressive eyes raise to meet Rude's. It’s the first time Reno has seen the amber eyes Rude always hides behind his glasses and it’s almost too intense. Reno wants to flinch away.

“Do you want me to hurt you, Reno?” Rude asks the question so simply as he pulls the tails of the shirt out of Reno’s pants and lets the whole bloody mess of fabric fall onto the hardwood floor. 

Reno’s eyes widen as Rude suddenly puts a name to it, that tension he’s been feeling for weeks. He isn’t sure why it wasn’t clear to him before. But yes. Yes, he wants that. That’s why he let the blade find him. That’s why he didn’t want to be cured. That’s why he’s here in Rude’s apartment. He wants Rude’s hands on him. Wants to feel the pain that Rude gives him. He’s _hungry_ for it.

He’s too surprised to be embarrassed. Rude already knows, or he wouldn’t have asked. _“Yes.”_ Reno says it with relief… so grateful that his partner already understands this.

Rude closes his eyes as satisfaction and desire bloom in his chest. “Come here,” he tells Reno, leading him into the bedroom.

It’s dark, lit only by moonlight, the windows casting squares of silver on Rude’s big bed. The comforter is black and soft, smooth and neat. Rude takes Reno by the shoulder and directs him to the bed.

“Sit. Wait,” he says. And Reno does.

Rude returns with a hot, damp washcloth and a glass of water. He makes Reno drink all the water while he cleans all the dark, sticky blood that dripped down Reno’s chest and back with short efficient strokes. The pale skin is left damp and sensitive. Chilled.

Reno breaks out in a full shiver when Rude pulls off his tie and rolls up his shirtsleeves to reveal his forearms, one of which is covered in swirls of black ink. When Rude unbuckles his belt and slowly pulls it free from the loops, running a hand down the thick leather, Reno sways like he’s going to pass out. He stares at Rude’s knees, taking shallow breaths.

Rude doubles the belt in his hand and lifts Reno’s chin with the loop. The sight of Reno, so open and so lost makes him feel lit up… turned on… ready.

“Belt ok?”

Reno just nods, skin already broken out in goosebumps. Perfect nipples hard. Rude can’t help but reach out and run his thumb over his partner’s full lower lip, pinching slightly against his index finger. It’s the most blatantly sexual touch he’s given Reno. The redhead’s reaction is muted. Nothing but a slow exhale against the skin of his hand. 

“I think you should take these off,” Rude rumbles quietly, knocking the belt against the waistband of Reno’s suit slacks. 

Biting his lip, Reno looks like he's thinking about it. Rude takes a step back, arms by his sides, waiting. The air is tenuous as they feel out the edges of this new arrangement. What happens when Reno comes willingly into Rude’s bedroom, as opposed when he’s gasping in an alley?

After a full ten seconds, Reno stands and drops his pants. He’s wearing standard Shinra-issue black briefs. The contrast with his skin is fantastic, as are the long limbs and lean muscles.

“Now what?” he asks in an oddly quiet voice.

“Facedown on the bed,” Rude says it firmly. He already feels the sense of control and responsibility slipping around him like a uniform. Reno hasn’t done this before, but Rude has, and he knows just what to do with someone ready to yield to him.

Reno moves quickly, laying down on the bed before he can reconsider.

He gasps when Rude grabs him solidly by the thigh and arm to pull him closer to the edge of the bed. Rude’s going to stand for this--he doesn’t want his movement to rock Reno's body on the bed. With a no-nonsense touch, he positions Reno’s hands by his head and stands back to look at the body stretched out in front of him. His partner is just too fucking tempting. He runs a hand smoothly, slowly, down the middle of the back, over the curve of the ass, down the back of one thigh. It leaves Reno’s skin tingling and awake. Reno's mind is rushing with the implications of that touch. It certainly didn’t hurt him… 

And then all thought goes blessedly blank when the belt cracks across his ass. The first blow is mostly a shock. The second, which follows quickly, is harder and Reno yelps out his surprise, clenching his hands into the comforter. He wasn’t expecting Rude to hit him on his ass… like a _spanking_ , but before he can process if he has any specific feelings about that, the belt continues to land and Reno’s thoughts drift away. He’s not counting the blows, but it’s maybe six more before Rude stops and squeezes his glutes, the pressure a distraction from the building, stinging pain.

He feels a hand on his lower back. Rude’s voice slides like gravel into his awareness. “Breathe in.” Reno responds to the command instantly.

“Breathe out.” He does and the belt falls on the back of his thighs… heavy blows, landing evenly across his legs. A short set and then Rude’s strong hands on him, squeezing both the muscles and the welts while Reno whimpers into the bed. When the belt licks back across his thighs he yells before he can clench his teeth shut. Fights the instinct to pull his legs protectively under his body… it takes willpower to stay still.

After finishing the next set, Rude breathes deeply as he considers the beautiful body trembling in front of him. Reno has clasped his hands behind his head, as if trying to better muffle the sounds he is making into the mattress. He’s taken it perfectly. Rude wishes he could see Reno’s face. Wishes he could see the red marks obscured by darkness. Wishes those briefs were gone. But still, this is already more than he hoped for.

“Five more,” says Rude, loving the quiet moan he gets in response. “Relax first. I want you totally limp.” 

He puts down the belt to set both hands on Reno, rubbing his neck and back with long, soothing strokes. The narrow waist. The tight, muscular ass. The long muscles of his thighs. Rude takes his time pressing heavy hands into soft skin, running his fingernails gently to tingle over raised welts. Eventually Reno’s body gives up its tension and he sinks deeper into the bed.

“Good,” Rude says quietly. Then he brings the belt down onto Reno’s already-bruised ass, harder than before. Reno's back tenses as he lets out a choked sob into the bed.

“Limp,” Rude reminds with a warm hand on the shoulder. And then the instant he feels Reno’s muscles relax, he delivers the last four in quick, stinging blows, applying his hand rather than the belt to give himself a bit more control. And because he just wants his hands on Reno’s ass. 

Reno is shuddering and curling himself up as Rude turns him over onto his back. He throws an arm over his face but Rude can see that his cheeks are wet and flushed, breathing stuttering and chest heaving as he tries to get control before he full-on sobs. 

“Done?” Rude asks, sitting on the bed next to him. His eyes take in every gorgeous aspect. Legs sprawled out and shaking. The toned chest. Dick at least half hard in the black briefs. Rude’s not the only one affected. 

Reno gasps like a fish. “More.” He barely knows what he’s saying. He’s just not ready to go home. Doesn’t want to see the end of whatever this is. Doesn’t know what comes next. 

Rude’s eyes are dark. “Hands by your sides, if you think you can take more.”

Reno complies immediately, revealing closed eyes and long lashes, wet and sticky from tears. Rude wastes no time at all. He raises his right hand and brings it sharply down on Reno’s chest, just under his collarbone, above his pec. Rather than the heavy impact blows of the belt, his hand leaves stinging slaps all the way down the side of his chest. Reno whimpers and leaks tears when a blow grazes his nipple on the way down. Then Rude starts working his way back up, eyes never leaving Reno’s expressive face.

When his hand reaches Reno’s pec again, falling on already sensitive flesh, Reno can’t control his reaction to the blow. He curls onto his side and crosses his arms over his chest instinctively.

Rude pushes the messy bangs off his face. “Done now,” he says. “When you can’t stay still, you’re done.”

“Tie me down,” Reno whispers.

“No,” Rude answers. 

“I’m sure you have the stuff,” Reno protests.

“I do. I’m not tying you down.” It’s too soon. 

Reno closes his eyes and tries to calm his breathing. Rude can see he’s still entirely wound up, and Rude certainly is too. Laying into his partner the way he’s wanted to since Reno first opened his pretty, loud mouth has left Rude stiff and aching.

Rude runs two fingers experimentally over his partner’s shoulder and watches Reno almost lean into it. 

“You ever been fucked, Reno?”  
  
Reno looks at him and then away. “I’m straight.”

 _Straight, huh?_ Rude looks at the half-lidded, panting mess that just asked to be tied down on his bed. “You want me to fuck you, straight boy?”

“Ah…” Reno’s breath is coming faster now, like he can’t quite get a hold of himself. His cheeks are as pink as if Rude had already smacked them. He looks completely, deliciously, fuckable.

“Would it hurt?” Reno asks. Rude smiles inwardly as he wonders which answer Reno is hoping for.

“Could.” He replied. “Doesn’t have to.” Rude looks down at Reno's narrow hips on his bed. “Although, it probably would… some. Even if I’m careful. I’m pretty big,” he explains.

Reno’s eyes skate down to his crotch, amusingly wide and wild.

“You wanna see?”

Reno glances up to his face and nods once. So Rude stands near the edge of the bed where Reno has a clear view, unbuttons his pants and slides them off. He leaves his briefs on for the moment. His cock is thick and heavy, and he knows it's apparent through the material. Knows he looks good.

“You want my shirt off too?”

“Uh… ‘s only fair,” comes the quiet answer. Reno has been shirtless for a while. 

Button by button Rude opens his shirt, finally sliding it down his shoulders to reveal his impressively muscular chest. The swirling tattoo, evident on his forearm, continues up to his shoulder and across most of his upper body. Reno takes it all in slowly, eyes tracing the swirls like a map to Rude’s chest. Rude finally slips down the briefs to reveal his large, swollen erection, his own breath catching as the fabric slides over sensitive skin. 

Reno gives him the same slow, careful once-over he got in Tseng’s office. “Okay,” he whispers. 

“Okay what?”

“Okay, fuck me.” The quiet words make Rude grin wolfishly. It’s the most dramatic expression Reno has ever seen on his face.

“If you want…” he teases, kneeling down on the bed to rub his hand over the red marks he’s already left on Reno’s skin. Runs his fingers through the long ponytail with just enough tension to feel good. Rude has wanted this since the minute Reno threw a fit in front of their boss. Wants his partner desperately. Wants to do depraved things to him. And not just tonight.

“How much are you gonna hurt me?” There’s no fear in Reno’s voice. Sounds more like anticipation. He lays still and boneless as Rude touches him. 

“I'm not gonna fuck a virgin rough.” Not one he wants to fuck again, anyway. Not one he has to work with. 

“Not a virgin.”

Rude raises an eyebrow. “Yeah well, where it counts. I don’t want wanna hurt you like that. Not right now.”

Reno gives him an odd look. “Ain’t that the whole reason we’re here?”

Sitting silently, Rude thinks about that. He doesn’t want Reno to fuck him just because he wants more pain. If he’d rather just be beaten. Sex doesn’t necessarily have to part of the equation.

Rude knows he is hopelessly fucked up. Knows that the man who finally finished the mission in Junon, wiped up the blood, packed up the knives, was not the man who started it. Knows he stepped over the line from day one with his partner and never looked back. But he still doesn’t want to fuck Reno just to hurt him. Wants to hurt him, yes, but he wants Reno to want him as well. Not just the pain. 

He doesn’t know if Reno wants him. 

It’s almost hard to remember how to touch softly. How to seduce. Once upon a time, Rude was good at it. He slides both hands behind his partner’s head, rubbing his scalp and neck. Reno sighs and closes his eyes as surprisingly soft fingers trace his collarbone before sliding down to brush over his nipples, one finger at a time, then smoothing further to explore the contours of his abs. 

Reno’s hands still lay unmoved by his sides. He accepts whatever touch Rude gives him, but doesn’t participate. Rude wants more than acceptance right now. He finally picks up Reno’s hand and presses it to his own stomach, mirroring the touch on his own body.

The feeling is surprisingly electric for both of them. In all their months of working together, Reno has so rarely touched him. Never skin on skin. The redhead’s eyes snap open, attention instantly drawn to the caramel-colored skin under his hand. Rude releases his wrist and Reno finally picks up the slack, tracing along the lower edge of the black ink. As Reno reaches the final swirl of the tattoo, fingers still moving hesitantly over ribs, his soft, soft forearm brushes once against the head of Rude’s cock. 

They both gasp and the spell is broken. Before Rude can exhale again, Reno is in his lap--a blur of moans and skin and messy red hair. The frenetic movement of his wet mouth on Rude’s neck, his arms wrapping around Rude’s lats, their chests sliding together is enough to surprise Rude into stillness. 

His arms instinctively pull Reno closer, until the skinny hips finally slip down fully into his lap and their cocks rub together, separated only by the rough cotton of Reno’s briefs. He can’t tell who’s making which sounds anymore, except that the one crying “Rude… Rude… Rude” into his neck is definitely Reno.

Rude bowls Reno backwards down onto the bed… finally, blissfully, bringing their mouths together. Tasting his partner's full lips. Rude barely has time to enjoy the sensation… there’s too much happening at once. Reno is gasping and crying out, trying to kiss him back but distracted by all the skin he wants to touch and the way his cock keeps getting rubbed between their hips. Rude is trying to crawl across the bed, holding Reno around the waist to pull him along, unwilling to tear his mouth away even for a second as he’s groping blindly for the nightstand drawer, trying to find the lube with a frantic urgency.

Reno finally gets his knees up around Rude’s hips so that they can move easier, but the feeling of Reno wrapping around him is so good that Rude can’t help but stop for a minute and grind him down into the bed just to make him moan even louder. Reno’s practically incoherent, barely able to form whole words, not even close to sentences. Rude, however, has no trouble interpreting. “Plea… ah… Rude… I…”

Finally getting his hand on the lube, Rude doesn't bother with talking. He grabs onto Reno and shifts them both upright, sitting against the headboard and pulling Reno back down into his lap. Reno’s fucking briefs are still in the way but they have too much momentum to untangle themselves now that he’s already straddling Rude’s hips.

Rude just shoves down the front of the briefs to finally get his hand directly on Reno's cock, throbbing and hot to the touch. He alternates his strokes between the two of them, while Reno holds onto his shoulders, rubbing his face along Rude’s jaw and making desperate sounds. The other hand manages to pop open the lube and pour it all over his fingers and probably the bedding too. He tosses the bottle down, and shoves his hand into the back of Reno’s briefs, desperate to get inside him. 

Rude’s slick, thick middle finger plunges into Reno with almost no warning, and Reno shouts out in alarm. His open mouth is covered instantly by Rude’s, finally kissing him properly, calling his attention with tongue and teeth as his left hand strokes both their cocks together. 

As soon as Reno’s muscles tentatively relax around Rude’s finger, Rude rewards him with quiet praise that seems to melt the redhead like spun sugar. His head falls forward onto Rude’s shoulder and Rude begins working him open in earnest, coaxing the untrained muscles of his entrance to softness by rubbing the tight outer ring and pushing in deeper and deeper. 

Reno shudders enticingly against Rude’s chest when the second finger is added. Rude stops stroking their cocks, certain that they are both getting too close to the edge. Instead, he pulls Reno back to see his face and suck marks onto his throat. Wrapping one large hand around the back of his neck, Rude supports Reno's weight with his arms as his other hand works behind him.

Although Reno’s eyes are closed, the flutter of his lashes and the pinch of his eyebrows is enough to make Rude’s cock jump when he pushes the third finger into Reno's body. Rude can barely control the urgency he feels at the sight of his gorgeous face… Reno struggling to accept the way Rude spreads and scissors his fingers, forcing him to open more. Reno’s hips move almost of their own accord, sometimes shying away, sometimes pushing back. When their cocks slide against each other again, sick with precum, Rude decides he can’t wait any longer.

Fingers slip out quickly and Reno’s body jolts in protest. Once again, Rude is shoving him back onto the bed, dragging down the briefs and kneeling between Reno’s legs, which are forced wide to accommodate Rude’s larger frame. 

“Oh shit,” Reno starts up before Rude even lines them up. He’s watching. Watching Rude run his slippery hand once down his length. Watching that thick cock rub against him. 

“Oh shit oh shit oh shit,” he recites, finally wrenching his head to the side when Rude starts working himself in with short, controlled thrusts. A little deeper, a little fuller with each motion. 

Rude is pressed flat over his partner, arms looped under Reno’s shoulders attempting to distract him from the steady assault with kisses and bites to the neck. But Reno can’t hold still. He’s moaning and cursing and writhing around until Rude has to hold his hips down.

“Oh god… oh shit… I don’t think... oh… oh don’t…”

Rude freezes mid-thrust, clenching his jaw. He's just over halfway in and it's decidedly not a convenient time to stop. He lifted his head to look at Reno, who seems surprised. Rude watches him replay the tape in his head.

“Shit. Don't...don't listen to me. Just... fucking do it.” 

Rude’s already thrusting back into him with renewed force. “We're not quite there yet, Reno.” Although Rude is definitely not opposed to ignoring some pleading down the road.

With one last thrust, Rude sinks in all the way to his hips and rolls his head in satisfaction. He sits up to get a better look at Reno, spread wide and stripped bare. So pale he practically glows against the black bedding where the moonlight hits him.

“Look at that,” he says, almost teasing. “You took the whole thing.” Rude traces a finger around the top of his cock where Reno's rim is stretched tight.

Reno whimpers with both hands pressed over his eyes. 

“Wanna feel?”

Reno shakes his head no.

It’s hard for Rude to judge if it’s cruel to enjoy seeing his partner so worked up. There are some lines that don't seem clear to him anymore, but it's heady to be the source of so much anticipation, discomfort, pleasure, pain, anxiety. He probably could have been gentler but there’s not much he can do about the size of his cock. 

Rude gives himself one more moment to enjoy the sight of Reno panting on the bed, hiding behind his hands, before he lowers himself down to his forearms. He bumps his head against Reno’s hands. 

“Look at me.”

Reno complies eventually, letting his hands rest beside his head. His eyes are wet and shining. Only one glance and he's trying to turn away.

Rude kisses his quivering lower lip. “That bad?”

Reno shakes his head no.

“That good, then?” Rude kisses him again. 

“I dunno.”

Rude pulls out halfway and pushes himself firmly back into his partner in a slick glide. It's hard to say what's better--Reno’s ass clenching tight around his cock, or Reno’s arms grabbing onto his shoulders as if he is afraid he'll fall off the bed. 

“How's that?” Rude asks, repeating the motion.

“Fuck, Rude. Uh..” he takes a sharp breath at the next thrust. “Can you.. umph… shut up for a minute and distract me?”

Rude grins and rolls them onto their sides, letting Reno’s head fall onto his black-inked bicep and pulling his bony knee over Rude’s hip. Offering the best distraction he knows of, Rude gets his free hand on Reno’s cock and his tongue into that perfect, parted mouth. He can’t get as deep in this position, but it’s worth it just to have Reno moaning against his lips and thrusting into his hand, every movement teasing Rude’s cock.

Suddenly it's all just smooth, steady motion. Wet and easy. Their bodies are relaxed and twined together intimately. Reno brings his hand tentatively to Rude’s chest and Rude presses his own hand over it briefly, encouraging the touch, before returning to Reno's dripping cock. He rubs precum over the head with every stroke until his Reno is so wrecked he can't even kiss back.

“Touch yourself,” Rude says, guiding Reno's hand down to his cock. Rude then raises his hand to Reno's cheek and rubs his thumb over Reno's full lips, smearing them with precum. 

“Ugh. Rude.” He’s barely coherent but still makes a face in protest. 

Chuckling quietly, Rude grabs him by the back of the neck and licks his mouth clean. He can feel the hot flush of Reno's skin under his palm. 

Deciding that Reno is relaxed and ready enough, Rude grabs onto his hip and begins thrusting harder. He shifts back a bit to get a better angle… and to watch Reno meltdown with pleasure.

“Feel good now?”

“Uh huh,” comes the mumbled answer.

Eyes closed. Breathing fast. It’s incredible to see Reno so vulnerable, so close to giving him everything, but a sly idea slips into Rude’s head and he’s lifting his hand before he thinks twice.

Reno’s eyes shoot open with a gasp when Rude cracks him on the ass, right where he knows the belt left him bruised. It’s not a hard blow… but it doesn’t have to be on already-tender skin. The way Reno tightens up around him yanks Rude straight to the edge of his own release.

“You asshole,” Reno groans, his hand moving even faster on his own cock.

Rude chuckles in response. “Yeah.”

He increases his pace and gives Reno two more swats. On the third hit, Reno shouts out and starts arching his back sinuously. Rude barely has time to roll Reno onto his back, still fucking him, before Reno sighs, “Oh fuck… oh fuck, Rude,” and comes all over his fingers and stomach, knees squeezing around Rude’s ribs. It’s the most perfect thing Rude has ever seen.

Already feeling as content as he has in years, Rude pulls out after only a few hard thrusts and adds to the mess on Reno’s abs. Reno is still shaking with aftershocks, hot cum dripping down his sides. 

Relaxed and satisfied, Rude squeezes one trembling thigh. “Be right back.”

He washes his hands and his dick until the water warms and brings back a washcloth to clean the spunk and lube off of Reno. Then he lays on his side next to Reno in the bed, head propped up on one hand. Reno is still flat on his back, gazing at the ceiling.

“How was that?” Rude asks.

“Uhm… thanks for not coming in me,” Reno says with a quick sideways glance at him.

“Seems out of line to make you leak my cum all night.”

Reno barks out a laugh. “ _That’s_ what seems out of line, huh?”

Rude shrugs. “I’m open to feedback if you got complaints.”

Reno opens his mouth. Closes it. Closes his eyes. “I think you mighta gone easy on me.”

“I did. Next time, I want to take you hard on your knees.”

He gets no response but a sharp inhale.

“C’mere.” Rude says and pulls them chest to chest, messy red hair tucked under his chin. He winds that long ponytail round and round his palm and rubs the back of Reno's head.

Reno breathes deeply and squirms a bit, wrapped in Rude’s arms. “Why is it... that you beat me and fucked me tonight, but this right here… being cuddled… feels awkward.”

“Probably…” Rude starts, “probably… it's because you don’t know that I actually like you.”

“Really? You sure have an odd way…”

“I know,” Rude cuts in. “But I do. Even though you’re a pain in the ass.”

“Not just cuz I’m so goddamn good looking?”

“That helps a lot,” Rude smiles. Eventually he feels Reno’s shoulders relax a bit. Reno gave him everything he wanted and Rude wants him to be equally comfortable and satisfied. To come back for more. 

But after a few minutes, Reno stirs. “I should get outta here.”

“Don’t be stupid. You’re sleeping here.” Rude’s tone is firm. “You want clothes?”

Reno nods and pulls on the t-shirt and boxers Rude throws at him, three sizes too big.

Rude holds up his bracer. “You want a cure?”

“Nah, I’m ok.”

“Then get under the covers.”

Rude is still naked when he climbs into bed with Reno. Holding out an arm, he coaxes his skittish partner to his side. Reno lays against him awkwardly so Rude snugs him to his chest and strokes Reno’s back and hair until he sighs and slides his hand far enough to wrap around Rude’s waist.

“Rude,” Reno eventually says in a sleepy voice.  
  
“Huh.”

“What’d you do in Junon?”

It’s quiet for a while. “Usual Turk stuff.”

“Kill people?”

“Yeah.”

“Torture them?”

Rude turns his head to meet Reno’s eyes. “Yeah.”

Reno looks at him seriously for a few fluttering heartbeats. “Got a taste for it, huh? You better fucking keep it under control with me.”

“I know.” He strokes Reno's arm laying on his chest. “I’m your partner. Do you trust me?”

“You joking? Not fucking yet.” Reno understands more than Rude gives him credit for.

Rude accepts that as a reasonable response. “Pretty risky to let me fuck you then.”

“Ain't nobody accusing me of good judgement.”

Rude yawns and gently squeezes his sore ass. “We can work on it.”

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Rude wakes up late, late in the night. His arms are empty. Rolling onto his side, he finds that Reno has shifted to the far edge of the bed and is curled up like a pill bug. He looks small and delicate with Rude’s large black tee shirt hanging off his shoulders.

It’s pitch dark in the room, the moonlight having shifted away hours ago, and Rude wishes that he could see his partner better. He doesn’t usually get to stare as much as he wants at Reno’s long eyelashes. The full lips that he kissed just hours ago. The perfect jawline. 

Fucking Reno was even better than he had imagined. Reno was passionate and gorgeous. He was adorable and desperate. He was inexperienced in a way that played exactly into Rude’s desire to take control. And he’d let Rude take the belt to his smooth, pale skin. Rude was unspeakably eager to see the marks that he had left on Reno’s ass in the morning. And to make more.

He wants to hurt Reno, and he wants to fuck Reno, about as much as much as he wants to keep breathing. He wouldn’t mind holding him while he slept either, and putting his hands in that crazy red hair. 

But Reno had scooted away and is sleeping soundly. If Rude grabs him now he’ll probably wake him up. Maybe piss him off. Maybe Reno needs space to sleep. And maybe Rude’s getting ahead of himself with this whole fucking-his-partner thing. So Rude just shifts a bit closer, lays his fingers on the tip of the red ponytail snaking onto the mattress, and goes back to sleep.

////

Rude wakes again when the sunlight is just beginning to warm up the sky out his window. It’s barely late enough to be called morning. Reno is not in the bed.

Rude can sense instantly that he is gone. There’s a stillness in the apartment that would be impossible if his partner were in the bathroom or ransacking the kitchen for food or even just sitting on the couch. Reno’s pants are gone from the bedroom floor. Rude rolls out of sheets and walks into his living room. The bloody shirt and jacket are still crumpled on the floor, but the keys for the company car are missing off his entryway table.

Reno just fucked out. No note. No message on his phone. He must have left before sunrise wearing his own suit pants with the blood-soaked waistband and Rude’s tee-shirt. 

_Should have tied him to the fucking bed,_ Rude thinks. 

////

Reno’s problem is that it’s Saturday morning. There’s just a whole lot of time left on the horizon and very little to fill it before he goes back to work on Monday. Except that’s not a relief, either. Going back into the office is just something else he isn’t quite ready to think about yet. 

When he woke up in the darkness that morning, Reno knew instantly that it was time to get the hell out. He slithered out of the unfamiliar bed on pure instinct before he even put together where he was. Crept around crouched down like he was afraid of getting shot. Pants... shoes... keys... close the door silently... and then he was sprinting down a stairwell and trying to blink his eyes all the way open in the ugly yellow lights off the parking garage. 

Drove far too fast through the deserted city streets. Walked in awkwardly, crossing his arms in front of Rude’s t-shirt, praying not to see _anyone_ as he took the back elevator that required keycard access. Got lucky and was able to slink into his apartment without having to so much as nod to another soul. 

_And now what the fuck do I do?_

Once he’s moderately cleaner and redressed in threadbare jeans and a ShinRa tee, Reno sits on the edge of his couch, wincing at his sore ass. He does have cure materia in his locker downstairs, but fuck if he wants to go and get it now. And unlike Rude, he’s mostly shit with restorative magic… although he could likely get the bruises off. He considers taking a look in the mirror to see the damage and rejects that idea entirely. Reno’s not sure he’s ready to see his own face, much less his backside. His ass is sore and his asshole is sore, and that's just two more problems he isn't interested in reviewing right now.

As usual, there are limited food options in his apartment, so Reno eats cereal with milk and peanut butter from the jar and crashes on his couch with the TV on for background noise. He sleeps like he’s fallen unconscious until late in the afternoon, sprawled out like an animal in its own messy den.

At a loud sound from the TV, Reno startles awake, thinking he’s back in Rude’s bed. His heart is racing with confusing emotions. It’s not that he was scared to be at Rude’s. Not exactly. Not of Rude, he thinks. It’s just that he didn’t feel… safe. And for a kid who lived a lotta years in the slums, identifying a safe place to sleep is a deeply instinctive skill.

As carefully as if he were setting his own broken bones, Reno reviews some of what's in his memories of the past twenty-four hours. It all feels a bit hazy, and he's not sure if he can blame it on the blood loss or if his mind just stopped recording properly at some point.

First of all, Rude beat him with a belt. And he fucking asked for it. Laid down for it! Where the hell did that come from? It had hurt more than he expected, and on top of that it made him feel weirdly cared for and simultaneously very, very embarrassed. Even now, thinking about the combination of pain, affection, and humiliation makes his throat tighten and his breathing rasp like sandpaper. He lets one choked gasp slip out and breaks out in goosebumps before he shakes his head and paces across his tiny apartment, trying to escape the feeling.

But what is there to move on to? Rude fucking him? That's not a bit more comfortable. When it was happening, it felt like he was caught in a riptide, barely keeping his head above water while his body just raced along, completely out of control. It had been intense in a way that felt very different than the times he had been with girls. Hard to say if it was Rude himself or the fact that he was having sex with a man. He had moved on instinct, wanting things he'd never even considered before. He hadn't even known Rude was gay. Or bi? And himself… he…

Five minutes later Reno realizes he’s sitting on his couch, getting hard thinking about Rude’s tattoos and Rude's hands. Rude's weight.

“Shit.” Reno grabs his wallet and heads out the door. He needs a distraction.

////

By the time Monday morning rolls around, both Reno and Rude are ready for it.

Reno just needs the stimulation and distraction of his job. That’s true even when he isn’t actively avoiding his own thoughts. Reno’s social circle is actually painfully small. He left behind most of his seedy, dangerous, under-plate relationships when Tseng recruited him, and he is so much younger than the other Turks that it has been hard to really build relationships with them. There is almost no opportunity to make friends outside of his job, and being a slum rat up on the plate doesn’t help either. It all adds up to the fact that Reno has no one to entertain him but himself, and he is exhausted from the effort of keeping himself busy.

The weekend is easier for Rude. It’s not his natural tendency to dwell on things. He’s not happy that Reno snuck out in the dark hours of the morning, but he quickly decides to just be patient. Not to call or send messages. Certainly not to seek his partner out. Reno probably just needs some time to process… although Rude can’t help but think regretfully about all the sex they could be having. 

Rude arrives early on Monday to find that Reno is already in the office and it looks like he’s been there for a while. He’s got an entire arsenal's worth of guns spread across his desk, many already broken down for cleaning.  
  


“Hey, partner,” Reno greets him quickly and casually, throwing only a single quick glance from behind his bangs. He runs black-smudged fingers through his hair nervously.

Rude stops at his desk and surveys the scattering of parts, bottles, and rags. He assumes Reno’s got some sort of system happening here, but he can’t understand it. “Hi, Reno,” he returns the greeting soft and low. Sees Reno’s hands shake slightly as he reaches for the oil.

“You have time to do mine?” Rude pulls his pistol out of the shoulder holster.

“You want...” Reno’s voice cracks slightly and he laughs awkwardly. “You want me to clean your gun?”

“If you have time.”

Reno is silent for a minute as he surveys the mess on his desk.

“Um.. yeah sure. Put ‘er there.” He pats an empty spot on a stained towel. Rude does, and then goes to his own desk to catch up on his email.

Thirty minutes later Reno comes silently to his desk, holding his pistol gingerly in a clean reel cloth, shined to a perfect, dark luster. Rude almost hates to put his fingers on it.

“Thank you.”

Reno presses his lips together and avoids making eye contact. “No prob.”

The awkward morning turns into a painful week. Reno alternates silence with random prattle that often begins so suddenly it startles whoever is in the office. He seems to lose his train of thought any time Rude walks behind his desk. 

After servicing all the firearms--with what Rude would consider a surprising degree of thoroughness and competence, Reno moves on to knives and then on to the more obscure weapons Rude didn’t even know were available to the Turks. _Who the fuck fights with shuriken anymore_ , he wonders as Reno carefully drags the edges of one along a sharpening steel.

By Thursday, Reno is doing an inventory of their materia and explosives. On Friday he offers to help Tseng with the purchase orders for low stock ammo. Rude can only guess that next week he’s going to be cleaning toilets in the locker room or emptying out the break room fridge. Tseng is going to start asking questions.

Unfortunately they don’t get any field work that week. Rude would really like to speak to his partner alone, but Reno is doing an excellent job avoiding him in the office. He disappears around lunch time and, from the smell, Rude assumes that he must be chain smoking on a balcony somewhere. At the end of the day he shoots out of the office like a bullet and is gone from the floor before Rude has even pushed his chair back into his desk.

Rude realizes Reno hasn’t said his name since they were in bed together. It was, apparently, a one-time deal. All he gets now are averted eyes and the distant, “partner.” And the situation is not getting better with time. Dark circles are blooming under Reno’s eyes. He looks jittery and worn out. By the end of the week, he can barely hold a pen in his hands before it’s clattering to the floor from his manic tapping. It’s clear to Rude that he has majorly fucked this up. 

The more time Rude spends reflecting on the situation, the more he realizes that fixing this is his responsibility. Because he’s obviously the one responsible. Reno is a _teenager_ for fuck’s sake. A teenager raised by _Shinra_ . A teenager who said he was straight. A teenager who let Rude beat him with a belt and and fuck him — for the _first time_ _—_ and then said straight up that he didn’t trust him. And Rude had been so goddamn thrilled about the whole thing he just barreled straight through and basically said, “Thanks for the awesome fuck. I’m sleepy now.”

To be fair, Reno had asked to be beaten—several times—and almost begged to be fucked. Rude is still daydreaming about the sound of Reno moaning his name while Rude pushed him to the bed. But Rude’s a grown-ass man who oughta know how to handle this better. Particularly with his partner. Particularly with someone he is so desperate to touch again that his fingers twitch every time Reno nervously pushes his hands through his hair. 

And he is confident that what Reno feels isn’t entirely regret. His partner is working through something a lot more complicated than that. Rude can feel those blue eyes following him around the room. Reno watches while Rude loads and holsters his weapon. Watches while he jokes with Freya and Rulaf. Closes his eyes tight when Rude tugs on his gloves. Reno wants him too.

As he leaves work on Friday, it occurs to Rude that the marks he left on Reno have probably healed by now, even if Reno didn’t use magic to take care of them last weekend. Rude didn’t even get to see them in daylight. What a goddamn lost opportunity. He needs to fix this.

////

On Saturday, Rude shows up at Reno’s apartment late in the morning with his hands full. He knocks three separate times. No answer. Rude would bet money that Reno is home, standing on the other side of the door barely breathing and hoping he’ll just go away.

“Open the door Reno,” he says at normal volume. “I’ll just pick the lock if you don’t.”

The deadbolt turns and the door opens, revealing Reno, eyes sleepy, hair messy, and wearing nothing but a pair of black pajama pants.

“What do you want?”

Rude shoves a coffee into his partner’s hands and pushes past him, heading to Reno’s tiny kitchen table. He starts unloading food.

“I want to talk. I brought you breakfast.”

Reno is slightly won over by the smell of fresh bread and sausage and wanders closer. It’s quite a spread. Rude has brought donuts, an egg and cheese sandwich, sausage rolls, oatmeal with fruit, and yogurt. 

“What’s for me?” Reno asks.

Rude looks straight at him. “All of it’s for you.” Thinking that he might need a good bribe, Rude had stopped by a popular and high-end bakery nearby and bought anything that caught his eye. He doubts Reno has ever been since it seems like he eats most of his meals in the Shinra cafeteria. 

“Hmph.” Reno sips his coffee and considers this offering. The coffee is hot, very rich, and just a little sweet. 

“What is this?”

“Cinnamon latte.”

“It’s good.”

“I thought you’d like it,” Rude says with satisfaction. He’s been paying attention. “Come sit.”

Shrugging, Reno slides into the chair across from him and picks up the egg sandwich. “What’s up?” He asks nonchalantly. 

Rude sniffs in amusement. “What’s up is that you’re freaking out. Let’s fix that.”

“I’m fine.”

“Oh yeah? What are you gonna do at work next week now that you’ve serviced and inventoried every weapon in the arsenal?”

Reno picks up a donut and tears it in half. Shoves one whole half into his mouth. It’s soft, covered in vanilla glaze, and unreasonably good. “I’m fine,” he says, still chewing.

“Okay then, partner. Were you fine when you left before sunrise last Saturday?”

Reno swallows. Licks the sugar from his fingers. _So Rude wants to get into it._ “Oh I’m sorry. Were you gonna make me pancakes? We were gonna....” he trails off. He actually has no idea what two people might do together on a Saturday morning after sleeping together. Except maybe go for round two, and he doesn’t want to consider that right now.

Rude just waits, curious to hear how Reno’s going to finish this. 

“... cuddle?” Reno finishes lamely. “Go to the farmer’s market?” There. That’s a bit stronger. He’s not some bougie girl, after all.

“Sure,” Rude shrugs. “Yeah, I would have made you breakfast. Yeah, we could have cuddled or fucked or watched TV or I could have just taken you home.”

“I’m not your boyfriend, man.” Reno glares off to the side looking angry.

“No,” Rude agrees easily. “But you are my partner.” 

“Whatever the fuck that means,” Reno mutters into his coffee.

“It _means_ ,” Rude continues, “that you oughta be able to be in the room with me without rattling around like you’re overdosing on ice.”

“Well whose fault is that?” Reno exclaims. 

“It’s mine. That’s why I’m here. You don’t trust me.”

“Yeah no shit.”

“Because I fucked around with you. Couldn’t keep my hands to myself. I’m sorry. I’m kinda... fucked up.” Rude realizes just how true that is as the words escape his mouth. Slipping back into a “normal” life hasn’t been quite as seamless a transition as he might have hoped. 

Reno’s eyebrows raise. This isn’t what he was expecting. He feels even less comfortable now. Is Rude talking about fucking him? Reno did ask for that, after all. Or all the months that came before? Because, as he thinks about it, that actually was pretty fucked up. He can see the shape of it better now. After last weekend. Rude likes to hurt him and has been indulging himself since their first mission. And now that it’s all out in the open, Reno can’t just _let_ it happen like he’s clueless.

Rude continues, watching Reno carefully. “So I’m going to help you trust me.”

“Oh yeah?” Reno is already suspicious. This sounds like manipulation. “How?”

Rude takes off his sunglasses and taps the table twice to get Reno’s attention. He has been thinking about this. “I’ve got three ideas,” he says. “First, I’m going to do nice things for you. Second, I’m going to make promises to you and keep them. Third, I’m going to give it time.”

Reno is so surprised his mouth falls open. Rude has a _plan?_ Nobody has ever gone to that sort of effort for Reno. It strikes him as... romantic. Rude is fucking romancing him. The dude with the belt. Reno doesn’t have a goddamn _clue_ how to respond.

After waiting a few beats, Rude realizes Reno isn’t going to say anything. He looks stunned and it’s fucking adorable, but Rude doubts Reno would enjoy hearing that. It’s hard for Rude to keep himself from touching those soft, parted lips. Reno would probably taste so sweet right now, like cinnamon and donuts.

Rude stands up quickly, before he gives in to his instincts and unravels all the good he’s trying to do. “I better get out of here. Thanks for letting me in.” He’ll ignore the fact that he didn’t actually give Reno a choice.

“Thanks for uh… Breakfast.” Reno still looks a bit dazed as he stands too. “It was…”

“Nice?” Rude asks with a little smirk. He steps close and looks down at his partner. “I’ll make you a promise too,” he says in his deep, smooth voice. “I’m not gonna hurt you again. Until you ask me to.”

Reno’s eyes get wider and his mouth falls open again. 

“What if I don’t?” he asks breathlessly.

Rude gives him a ghost of a smile. “You didn’t like it?” His voice holds the most subtle tease. 

Reno can’t meet Rude’s gaze and just ends up letting his eyes drift down Rude’s body. He’s wearing a plain black tee with sleeves that hug his biceps and reveal the arm of black ink. Reno’s mouth is too dry to answer. 

“If you don’t, you don’t.” Rude shrugs. “We still can be a good team at work.” He turns to the door. Reno looks like a single touch might knock him over and Rude is too tempted to give it to him.

“See you in the office.”

////

Having the rest of the weekend to think about it, as little as Reno is inclined to introspection, he actually starts to feel a bit better. And it’s an enormous relief because Rude was right. Reno has been freaking out and, after a week of brimming over with nervous energy, he’s exhausted. 

If Rude wants to do him favors, so much the better. And if Rude is going to keep his hands to himself… then great. Great. _It's great,_ Reno repeats to himself. He resolves to stop thinking about Rude’s hands immediately.

The next week at work, Rude is exceptionally relieved to see that Reno has evened out a bit. He’s chatty and cheerful and has stopped flinching every time Rude walks by his desk. His coloring is better and his eyes are sharp and bright, and occasionally willing to meet Rude’s. It's a clear improvement. 

On Tuesday, when Rude arrives in the morning, he stops at Reno’s desk, pulls some folded papers out of his jacket, and hands them to his partner.

“Here. I got you something.”

Reno unfolds the papers and glances over them. He can’t tell immediately what he is looking at, but it looks exceptionally boring. “What is this?”

“I opened a bank account in your name. The last page is the form you give to Tseng to change your direct deposit.”

“What? Why?” Reno is entirely confused.

“What do you do with your money now?” Rude asks. He already knows the answer.

“It’s uh… in a Shinra account that Tseng manages.” Shinra, megacorporation that it is, operates a bank, and since Reno was a ward of the company, Tseng has managed his account since he was fourteen. Reno uses a low limit debit card for all his purchases. His wardship officially ended on his eighteenth birthday but he hasn’t ever gotten around to changing the situation.

“Yeah. Don’t let your employer hold or control your money for you. Especially not Shinra.”

Reno blinks. He’s a bit offended that Rude is getting into his personal business. “What are you, my dad?

“Why? You wanna call me daddy?” Rude smirks as Reno turns bright red and looks around the room. The bullpen is empty save the two of them. Rude is already heading to his own desk.

“Is this supposed to be a _nice thing?”_ Reno hisses at him.

“Yes,” comes the calm answer.

“How’d you even do this? Don’t you need my ID or something?”

Rude gives him an offended look. “I’m a Turk, aren’t I?”

Reno turns back to the paperwork in his hands. “I thought you were just gonna, like, buy me candy.”

“Hmm.” Rude gives him a long look and then opens his desk drawer, pulls something out, and tosses it to Reno who catches it easily out of the air. It’s a bag of “Blazin’ Hot Cinnamon Gummy Bears.”

Reno can’t help but grin in delight at the bag of bright red bears in his hand. He fucking loves these things and he’s never seen Rude eat candy so they must have been purchased specifically for him. “What else you got in there, partner?” He asks, craning his head to see.

Rude is already closing the drawer. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

////

Things continue improving over the next few weeks. It’s a tame month since they’ve mostly finished with the drug cartel. Tseng finally gives the pair some more field work and they are both relieved to discover that Reno can be alone with Rude without having an anxiety attack. 

They are assigned various days guarding Rufus, which is boring and annoying, but generally safe. They scare the shit out of a reporter who wrote something that _could_ be interpreted as critical of Shinra. They spend most of one week collecting “taxes” from various “businesses” in Wall Market that Shinra allows to operate.

The week is less fun than Reno expects. He knows Wall Market intimately and expects to have a good time showing off and showing Rude around. He makes a few attempts to get a rise out of his stoic partner by taking him by some of the most scandalous offerings in the quarter, but realizes quickly that he’s an idiot and absolutely nothing is going to throw Rude off-balance. Even worse, every time they visit a brothel or club, the women, and many of the men, flutter around Rude like moths to light, trying to entice him to their wares with soft touches and flattering smiles.

Reno, who has done this collections job quarterly for more than a year, never gets that much attention.

“What the fuck, dude?” Reno finally grouses in the last club as Rude politely turns down another dancer, redirecting her by the hips before she can slide onto his lap. “I look good! Why’s everybody trying to climb onto your dick?”

Rude laughs. “It’s just because you look young, Reno.”

“You’re not that much older than me asshole. What do you look like then?”

“I look like money and a good lay,” Rude says with a confident smile.

“That’s bullshit. We earn the same salary. We’re wearing the same goddamn suit!” Reno watches another pretty whore walk by with her eyes on Rude.

“Try wearing a tie? Getting a haircut, maybe?”

“Fuck off. Now you don’t like my hair?”

“Oh, I like it.” He reaches out to give the ponytail a light tug. “But your look doesn’t say ‘big spender.’” And Rude actually does think Reno needs a haircut. 

Before he can blush, Reno is distracted by a petite, voluptuous dancer who slips onto Rude’s lap too quickly for him to catch her. She giggles prettily and teases, “Ha! I got in,” as she slides her hands up over his broad shoulders. “Are you sure you want to make me leave?” she asks, rolling her hips gently.

Reno can’t help but watch as Rude flirts with her, his voice so low and soft that Reno can’t make out the words. But he can see the effect. The girl arches her back and bites her lip as Rude ghosts his fingers around her hip to stroke her spine. She laces her fingers behind his neck and slips closer. Reno can tell she would really like to spend a little more time spread across Rude’s thighs, but after a brief back and forth, Rude tucks a few bills in at her hip and pats her on the ass to get up. The pout she directs at him is fierce. Reno is biting his lip too, as he watches Rude handle her. 

Rude catches his eyes with a knowing look. He pats his knee in invitation at Reno who turns away quickly, flipping him off and flushing bright red. “Want me to buy you a dance then?” Rude asks.

“Fuck, no. I just wanna get the cash and get outta here.” Reno is bouncing his knee like he’s about to take off. He lights up a cigarette and looks back at Rude. “You like girls, huh?”

“Yeah. I like girls too.”

////

When it comes to Rude’s “plan,” Reno isn’t sure what he was expecting, but Rude is more subtle than he anticipated. 

Sure he does simple things. Some mornings Rude brings really nice coffees that Reno would never buy for himself. Reno wasn’t even aware that the Shinra cafeteria coffee was so shitty or that there were so many variations of coffee, milk, and sugar one could order--mochas, flat whites, and so on. He doesn’t like anything quite as much as the cinnamon latte and somehow, without him saying anything, Rude figures it out and only brings him that one.

Rude does occasionally have candy for him too. He seems to save that for when Reno’s pissed off about something. It’s always a surprise. Reno will be pacing around the bullpen quietly complaining that Tseng gives all the good, exciting missions to Rod or that he doesn’t want to spend another goddamn hour guarding the VP and suddenly there’s a bag of sour gummy worms flying at his head. It always does cheer him up. 

One day Reno arrives early and is surprised to find a single chocolate in a gold foil paper sitting discreetly next to the computer on his desk. It looks like the sort of thing that costs fifty gil a piece at some ridiculous bakery where Reno would get side-eye just for walking in the door. He might have suspected it was poisoned or something, except for a post-it note with an arrow pointing to the chocolate that says “You’ll like this. -R.” So Reno eats it. And fuck, if Rude wasn’t right. It’s filled with thick chocolate cream that is subtle and spicy and Reno has never tasted anything like it.

Reno feels more awkward about expensive chocolate on his desk than he does about bags of gummies casually thrown at him. He buries the gold foil and the note in his trash can, but can’t help asking later.

“Hey partner, what was in that chocolate?”

Rude doesn’t even look up from his computer. “It was a chocolate cardamom truffle.”

Reno only knows one of those words. “That shit’s too fancy for me.”

“I know. But you liked it, didn’t you?” Rude looks up at him expectantly. 

“Yeah. I liked it,” Reno admits. He’s glad nobody else was around to see it.

“It’s good to try new things,” Rude offers, already looking back at his email while Reno empties his brain before he can consider what else Rude is talking about.

  
  


Some of the things Rude does for Reno aren’t so obvious. Occasionally Reno doesn’t even realize that Rude might have done something nice for him until he looks back on it later.

The week Freya turns twenty-five, there’s a surprisingly large contingent of Turks in headquarters. Friday night, Rude picks a nearby bar and simply rounds up everyone in the office, even Tseng, and insists they go for a drink with Freya.

Reno isn’t used to going out with the Turks, and a lot of them still think of him as the kid that Tseng picked up out of Wall Market, but Rude throws one arm over his shoulders, and the other arm over Cissnei’s, and Reno is just swept along with the crew.

As they’re all filing into the bar, Rod ruffles Reno’s hair and says “Hey kiddo, since when are you old enough to drink?”

“Fuck off, man. For, like, eight months. You ate my birthday cake!”

“Huh. Shit. Well let me buy you a shot then.” And Rod drags Reno off towards the bar.

The evening devolves as expected. Rod and Reno return to the table with a tray of drinks and insist on playing “Never Have I Ever,” Turk’s edition, which quickly spirals into an absolute smut and gore-fest given the relatively limited set of things that most Turks have never done. The only statement that nobody drinks for is “fucked a dead body,” and they have an impromptu toast to congratulate themselves on that singular dimension of not-being-fucked-up. 

The game ends in uproar when Balto says “never have I ever had sex with a man,” and every single other person at the table drinks. Rude doesn’t so much as glance towards Reno, but it’s Tseng who gets the most attention for sipping on his beer, prompting him to wish them all a good night and depart with a small smile before he starts getting called upon for story time. Everyone suspects he’s fucking Rufus. 

With the game ending, Freya and Emma pull Reno onto the dance floor and he does a surprisingly good job keeping them both entertained. Rude tries to have a conversation with Ruluf but can barely focus with Reno’s hips in the corner of his eye the entire time. By the time they saunter back to the table, sweaty and thirsty, Reno has a big smile and one laughing Turk on each arm.

Later that night, Reno… arm wrestles Cissnei and wins, plays quarters with Ruluf and loses repeatedly, and tries to take a shot of whiskey out of Freya’s mouth but ends up spilling most of it when she laughs against his lips.

As midnight rolls around, Reno slumps drunk and dizzy into a booth next to Rude. Somehow he has lost his shirt entirely, but is still wearing his jacket, revealing most of his bare chest. Rude keeps both hands on his beer so that he doesn’t put them on Reno.

“Shit. I don’t think I can drink any more.”

“I think everyone is winding down anyway,” Rude responds, pushing a glass of water at his fading partner. Emma and Cissnei are cuddled up half asleep across from them in the booth. Balto disappeared with a girl early on. The others are playing darts.

Rude lost his sunglasses an hour ago when Freya claimed them as a birthday present and he directs his hazel eyes to Reno. “Did you have a good time?”

“Yes,” Reno smiles contentedly, laying his head down on the table.

“Good,” Rude says, sounding satisfied. And Reno suddenly has the strange idea that Rude coordinated the whole night for his benefit.

////

It’s been more than a month since the night he fucked Reno. Rude has been biding his time and keeping his hands off of his partner just like he told himself he would. He had promised he would “give it time,” but exactly how much time? 

A month isn’t so long, but he’s starting to feel a bit itchy. Rude either needs to get things moving with Reno or to start hitting the bars solo again. And he’d really prefer to get his hands back on his partner. So he decides to play his trump card.

After a quick meeting in Tseng’s office, Rude walks up to Reno’s desk and says without preamble, “What are you doing Saturday afternoon?”

“Um… I’m…” Reno’s eyes rove around the office. Cissnei and Ruluf are both sitting nearby.

“Nevermind,” Rude cuts in. “You want to get your helicopter pilot’s license right? But you need to get in the twenty hours of supervised flying time? Tseng said we can use the chopper on Saturdays. You want me to take you out?”

Reno’s mouth drops open. “You are fucking kidding me,” he says slowly, emphasizing each word.

Rude gives him a slightly amused look.

“You fucking asshole! You know how to fly a chopper? You’re kidding me!” He jumps to his feet and grabs onto Rude's lapel, clenching the fabric in his fist.

“I’m not. I do.”

“You’re serious? You’ll let me fly with you? Really? I mean, you won’t even let me drive the company car. You’ll really do it?”

“Sure,” Rude shrugs like it’s no big deal. Like he’s not taking his life into his own hands. Tseng also told him why he refused to take Reno up himself after their first flight together when Reno was just seventeen. “I’m sure you’ll be a very good student.” He raises an eyebrow, and not suggestively. He really hopes they both survive this. And that his reward is Reno’s ass.

“Oh fuck yes. I’ll be so good you won’t believe it, partner.” Rude has to close his eyes for a minute to deal with Reno’s phrasing but the redhead just keeps going. “Really? You’ll really take me?”

Rude takes a deep, calming breath. “Yep. Turks can always use more pilots. We’ll keep at it until you get your license.”

Reno’s smile is electric. He finally releases Rude’s suit and idly smooths some of the wrinkles on his chest. “So that’s a promise, huh?” His eyes dart up to Rude’s.

“Sure is, partner.”

////

That Saturday, Rude lets Reno fly the chopper, grinning like a maniac and talking with rapid-fire excitement the whole time. Rude has had little opportunity to see Reno out of his suit, and he looks adorably like a student rather than a killer in a faded band tee shirt and ripped up jeans, old and worn enough to slip down on his hips. The flight goes better than expected. Reno is surprisingly serious and competent in the pilot’s seat. Apparently he has been spending time in the VR flight simulators on the weekends ever since his first disastrous outing with Tseng.

When they finally touch down, and while Reno is still cheerful as fuck, Rude invites him to come over to his apartment to eat dinner and hang out. It doesn’t even take charm. Reno is nodding his agreement almost before all the words leave Rude’s mouth.

Reno jumps at the invitation because he is just so tired of thinking about it. Avoidance is a particular strength of Reno’s, and he has been avoiding thinking about Rude… avoiding thinking his own feelings… for more than a month. And frustratingly, all the while, he can’t stop himself from unconsciously cataloging every move, every glance, every word from Rude until his mental file overflows and he realizes he’s just lost ten minutes trying to remember how far that tattoo stretched across Rude’s chest. 

It’s beginning to make him feel stressed again, and rather than sort anything out, he’d prefer to just jump in and see what the hell happens. Reno is self aware enough to realize that he’s gotten through most of his life just winging it and going on instinct, and things haven’t turned out too bad.

Part of him wonders if stepping back into Rude’s apartment will cast that same spell. If Rude will just take control and set Reno on his bed and make him spill his guts about every dirty thing he’s failed to avoid imagining for so many days. Crack him open and spill out all the desires he doesn’t even know he holds. Maybe Rude doesn’t even need to. Maybe he already knows.

When they step inside the apartment, Rude goes through the same routine Reno has seen before. Glasses, wallet, gloves get set onto the table. He peels his black hoodie over his head, unintentionally letting his tee shirt underneath slide up to reveal tattooed, washboard abs, and Reno has to turn away his head feels so full. _Don’t make me ask you,_ is all he can think.

But Rude just turns on the lights and walks into the kitchen like Reno isn’t already panting and dazed in the entryway hall.

“You like eggs?”

“...Eggs?”

“To eat. For dinner.” Rude rummages around in his refrigerator. “I could make you something nicer but it’s quick and I’m hungry.”

“That’s... fine,” Reno says, finally toeing off his shoes and drifting further into the apartment. Funny that he’s never actually seen any part of Rude’s apartment with the lights on. Rude watches him drift around the living room with a smile that is knowing and almost smug. _That fucker,_ Reno thinks, catching the look. _He’s gonna make me do it._

“Come in here and help,” Rude tells him. “You wanna get us some beers?

“You got anything stronger?”

Rude gives him an appraising look and directs him to the liquor cabinet. Reno pours them both whiskey over ice and gulps his down immediately, refilling the glass. 

While Rude starts the eggs, he sends Reno back and forth across his narrow kitchen. Grab the cheese from the refrigerator; find the plates in the cabinet; break the yolks with a fork, all the while directing him with small touches to the shoulder or hip, a brief grip at his wrist… until Reno is absolutely buzzing with the warm and fleeting sensation of Rude’s hands on him. 

Eventually he finds himself standing in front of the stove, slowly stirring a pan full of eggs with Rude standing behind him, teasing him for not knowing anything about cooking. Of course Reno doesn’t know how to cook eggs. Who would have ever taught him?

Reno is trying to stay cool, but he’s so hyper aware of Rude’s body behind his own he can barely move. Peering over his shoulder at the pan, Rude is close enough that one big, deep breath might fill Reno’s lungs enough to make contact with his chest. Reno is so focused on that gap between them that he startles and drops the spoon when Rude reaches right around his hips and flips off the burner.

“Eggs are done.” Rude says it directly onto Reno’s neck.

Reno doesn’t move. He can’t take it. Can’t take another second of the teasing. Who the hell cares about food? If Rude is going to make him do it then fine. He’ll do it.

It requires so little movement to make contact. One teensy shift of his weight and he can feel Rude behind him, warm and hard and soft too, all the way from his shoulder to his ass. He closes his eyes in relief at the contact and barely tilts his head back to feel Rude’s shoulder on the back of his head. 

Rude lets him wait for just a moment… just long enough to wonder... before he sets his hands on Reno's hips and increases the pressure between them. He has been waiting all day for Reno to break.

“Hmm?” He says lightly. “You want something?”

Reno pushes back on him ever-so-slightly. It’s the most he can bring himself to do for the moment. _You know._

“What do you want?” Rude asks, fingertips dipping lightly inside the waistband of Reno’s jeans, stroking just inside his hip bones. 

“What do _you_ want?” Reno asks back. It’s a silly question. He’s just trying to delay having to say more.

“You know what I want.” Rude’s mouth is right by Reno’s ear, his warm breath almost a kiss. Before Reno can reconsider, he turns around quickly, letting those dark hands slide across his skin, and catches Rude’s lips with his own. 

Although he and Rude kissed in Rude’s bed a month ago, there wasn’t a second of that night that Rude wasn’t in complete control. Reno only had had to accept and respond. This is the first time that he has initiated contact, and it feels like it means something. Like he’s making a choice.

Reno thinks he’ll take Rude by surprise, but his partner anticipates him like always. By the time they are face to face, Rude’s already got one hand in his hair and one between his shoulder blades and it’s a good thing because Rude’s kissing him so hard it feels like he’s falling backwards and he needs the support. The kiss tastes like whiskey and wanting, and Reno finds himself just sinking into Rude’s hands, letting himself be bent backwards over the counter.

The fingers in his hair close tight together, not pulling... but gripping firmly, and Rude tips Reno’s head back and bends low to run a line of wet kisses down his neck

“So partner,” he begins quietly. “Do you trust me now?” Rude uses all his restraint to keep his teeth out of his Reno’s skin.

Just as quietly, Reno answers, “Yes.” At least he wants to, desperately, and that’s essentially the same thing.

“You trust me to take care of you?” Rude lifts him easily to sit on the counter. Slides in close between his legs and pulls down at his collar to access more skin.

“Yes,” Reno says again. Because in his whole life, no one has ever taken care of him the way that Rude has. Even if Rude just wants him. And does that even matter? Because Reno is starting to feel certain he wants Rude too.

“And fuck you?” Rude’s voice is heavy and deep as he pulls Reno’s hips snug against his. 

An embarrassingly soft sound escapes Reno’s mouth as he is beginning to run out of words. He stutters out one more “yes.”

“...and hurt you?” Rude asks, running his teeth very softly along Reno’s shoulder.

This time, Reno doesn’t manage any words. He presses his knees into Rude’s hips and tries to find his mouth to kiss for reassurance, dipping his face to where Rude's lips are at his collarbone. It’s harder than expected to make contact because Reno is shaking like he's coming apart. Shoulders, lips, arms. His hands are trembling against the sides of Rude’s neck. He doesn’t know why the question affects him this way. “Yes,” he whispers before Rude takes pity on him and tilts his head up to put his tongue in Reno’s mouth. 

All Rude can think about is how deliciously sweet and inexperienced his foul-mouthed and brash partner seems, shaking in his arms. How much he wants to take him apart. He can barely hold back his smile as he runs a hands up Reno’s back to rub his neck soothingly.

“Then why are you so nervous, Reno?” he asks, pulling back a bit to see his partner’s face.

“Why the fuck do you think?” Reno retorts. “It’s kinda a lot all at once, ain’t it?”

“Oh I dunno,” Rude hums. “It was already a month ago when you were in my bed, naked and moaning for it.”

Reno’s eyes go wide and he tries to protest, but Rude kisses him before he can get the words out.

“I’m teasing you. And I already told you. I won’t hurt you again until you ask me. Doesn’t have to be tonight.” 

Reno sighs, and more in resignation than in relief. The idea of asking arouses a complicated mix of feelings—both appealing and embarrassing. 

But then Rude continues. “And if it makes you feel better, I won’t fuck you until you _beg_ me.”

Reno leans back and closes his eyes at the thought. “You can be such an asshole,” he says.

Smiling wolfishly, Rude insists, “I’m a perfect gentleman.” He picks a scoffing Reno up off the counter with a hand under his ass and Reno’s legs wrapped around his waist. “That’s why whores like me so much. 

“And tonight,” he continues, walking into the living room, “I’m going to make you come screaming my name with just my hands. And then I’m going to send you home and you can spend the rest of the weekend deciding how you’re going to beg me for what you really need.”

“Asshole,” Reno whispers again. He is trying to control his nerves and is keeping himself quiet by applying his mouth to the side of Rude's neck.

This is a tradeoff that Rude is making. He’s playing the long game. Obviously he’d love to just fuck Reno senseless tonight, but the way his partner was shaking like a virgin makes him think that a little restraint will result in a better payout. He can do the high school thing if they’re moving in the right direction. Having Reno’s legs wrapped tight around his waist is already a lot of progress, and Rude thinks that if he can really work Reno up, he’ll be desperate for more within days. Desperate and ready.

So Rude puts his partner down in the dim light of the living room and starts peeling off all his clothes. He has to work around Reno’s hands sliding under his shirt. Reno’s teeth nipping at his neck. He lets Reno touch as much as he wants, but keeps his own clothes on. Once he’s done, Rude steps back to admire the slim, toned body. The pretty, cut cock, flushed pink and erect. The sharp cheekbones, pink too. He wonders how many people have gotten to see Reno bashful. 

“You’re so fucking gorgeous.” The words just slip out of Rude’s mouth. “I want to put you over my desk every morning,” 

Reno looks surprised, but then gives him a sly smile. He’s flattered. “If you’re gonna stare at me, at least take off your goddamn shirt.” Fair is fair and it feels like he’s been thinking about Rude’s chest for a decade already. Rude complies easily but is sliding onto the couch, slipping a pillow behind his back, before Reno can look as much as he wants.

“Come here.” Rude grabs him by the wrist and pulls him firmly between his legs so that they are both reclining lengthwise on the couch. Reno’s back is warm against his chest. The sensation of so much skin-on-skin is surprisingly soothing as they settle together. And then Rude starts touching.

Runs his hands over every part of Reno he can reach, stroking neck and nipples, teasing the crease of his hips, pressing fingers into the muscles of his stomach and chest, until Reno is so relaxed and limp against him that he’s practically purring.

With Reno’s head resting heavily in the curve of his shoulder, Rude finally lets his fingertips trace over his cock and earns a low, quiet moan. He wraps his hand around his partner and begins stroking softly with steady smooth motion, careful not to grip too tightly without lube to ease the way. 

It’s such a slow, gentle start. A dramatic departure from the frantic intensity Reno felt before. He closes his eyes and gives in completely to Rude’s touch on his cock, the other hand teasing his nipples. Within minutes he’s forgotten the strangeness of being naked and exposed on top of his partner and is shifting his hips in time with Rude’s hand, his breath coming in quick and quiet pants. 

Rude loves watching Reno lose his inhibitions, but he can’t just let him come quietly. Not when he promised screaming.

He lets Reno do more and more of the work, thrusting into his hand while Rude holds him down with one arm across his chest, just enough pressure to keep him anchored in place. Reno’s hands grab onto his forearm. Rude waits until he hears him gasp, feels him shudder, and then grips him tightly and cuts him off before he can come.

“Ungh, you fucker,” Reno gasps in protest. He reaches to touch himself but Rude grabs his wrists and crosses his arms across his chest, holding Reno still until his cock stops twitching and his head falls back on Rude’s shoulder in submission.

“No until I say so,” Rude tells him. 

“Fuck off.”

Rude slides his hand up around Reno’s throat. “Fuck, I can’t wait to put you in your place.” This isn’t the time, but Rude has plenty of tricks beyond pain. 

He hooks his legs underneath Reno’s and then forces his partner’s legs further apart, dropping one leg off the couch and spreading his knees as wide as he can. Reno gasps a protest at the feeling of being so exposed and his legs press back against Rude’s thighs, but Rude won’t budge.

“Shh,” Rude soothes him. “I like you like this.”

At this he gets an adorably shy whimper. He pulls Reno back against his chest and begins stroking his cock again. Reno tentatively leans back against him, still holding tension in his abdomen and shoulders. 

“Just be good for me,” he says, and brings his free hand to Reno’s mouth, tracing his first two fingers along his partner’s full lower lip. Reno parts his lips hesitantly, but it only takes one gentle stroke and he takes them into his hot mouth and sucks eagerly like he’s been waiting for it all night.

Finally, he starts making the sounds that Rude has been chasing. Moaning and whimpering around those fingers as Rude works them slowly in and out. Rude barely restrains himself from pushing deep enough to stroke the back of Reno’s throat and make him gag. _Next time._

“You know what I’m going to do with these fingers, don’t you?” Rude asks softly, still stroking Reno’s cock while he strokes his tongue as well.

The desperate sounds that come out of Reno makes it clear that he does. He grabs Rude’s wrist with his hand to hold it still for a minute so he can suck harder and run his tongue over and between Rude’s fingers. 

“That’s it. Get them wet,” Rude tells him and then takes over the movement, stroking around and under his tongue possessively.

 _“Hurry,”_ Reno gasps, pulling lightly on Rude’s wrist. _“I’m close...”_

“Oh, now you’re in a hurry?” he teases, still enjoying the feeling of Reno’s lips around his fingers.

 _“Please!”_ Reno whines at him. He’s pressing his knees open wider, entirely focused on where he wants those fingers. The second Rude thrust them into his mouth, Reno’s brain was flooded with the idea of Rude touching him in the ways that he never touches himself. Coming while he’s being penetrated by Rude. Clenching around him. The thought of anything less is torture.

 _“Hurry, hurry, hurry,”_ he begs. _“I’m gonna come.”_

“Not yet you aren't,” Rude says, lightening his grip slightly.

But he does finally slide his fingers out of Reno’s mouth and bring them down to his tight, exposed hole. 

By this point Reno is barely in control, moaning and whimpering, thrusting into Rude’s teasingly loose grip, tossing his head from side to side. He’s trying so hard to wait for Rude, but his partner is moving torturously slowly.

 _“Rude,”_ Reno groans out, his hand squeezing tight around Rude’s wrist as wet fingers circle his hole. _“Please, Rude.”_

He gets the tip of one finger. So gentle, so soft. It’s such a tease that he’s starting to get angry. 

“Rude!” He yells. He’s arching his back and pulling even harder on his partner’s wrist… but Rude is so strong he doesn’t even shift. Just keeps _barely_ touching him. “God dammit. If you don’t fuckin—“

And then he chokes off as Rude finally, _finally,_ plunges both fingers into Reno’s body. Not too hard and not so deep so as to be painful, but firm and constant and relentless movement. Just enough for Reno to feel like he’s being spread open and taken apart.

He comes within seconds, bucking and thrashing and in Rude’s hands. Calling out his name, just as promised. 

Rude holds him down. Praises him. And promises himself that next time will be worth the wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, I kinda struggled with writing this. I think the first chapter stands alone well... and I was hesitant to add on. On top of that, the first part really toed on the line on consent, which is what I was going for, but I didn't want to write multiple chapters of RenoRude dubcon.
> 
> End result: this is much more plotty and much less smutty. I hope you like it, but either way I'd love feedback. Unless you want to tell me that I got the Turks timeline and/or names wrong, because I am 100% indifferent to canon.
> 
> I've already got Ch 3 in mind for when I get out of my RenoRude refractory period, and it's gonna be a smutfest. If you have any special requests LMK here or on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/LemonDropLan)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Limited proofreading here. Feel free to yell at me for typos. I'll be grateful :). [@lemondroplan](https://twitter.com/LemonDropLan)

It strikes Reno as odd to be fighting in the daytime. This shit usually goes down after dark, when they are already out stirring up trouble. Not in the middle of the afternoon, sunlight visible from around the edges of the plate, just after lunch at Reno’s favorite diner in the sector six slums.

It was a simple collection run. Not money this time. Data of some sort on a small drive that disappeared into Rude’s suit jacket immediately. It seems that there are still some elements of a mission that Rude doesn’t trust to Reno, and Reno doesn’t care. He’s happy for Rude to handle the responsibility of getting that thing back to Tseng.

But it’s not urgent. The source was on time, the pickup was easy as pie, and they aren't expected back at headquarters until afternoon.

Rude tugs on the back of Reno’s jacket as they head back to the car. “Hey, let’s get an early lunch. You know where to eat around here?”

Smiling at the novelty of Rude slacking, even a teensy weensy bit, Reno nods. “‘Course I do, partner. Know the slums like the back of your glove.” He winks. Then peers around a bit getting his bearings. He can think of a few options within walking distance, the best being a hole-in-the-wall diner run by a sweet old lady who would let Reno eat the stale muffins when he was a kid. He points back up the street with his mag rod. “Right this way.”

It’s been three days since Rude got Reno off in his apartment, fed him eggs, and then sent him home with a tap on the ass that was just _slightly_ harder than playful. Reno knows the deal. Rude was crystal clear. He gets more when he asks… no, begs… for it. And Reno would admit that he certainly does want more. 

Now that he’s beginning to feel comfortable with the fact that he might, occasionally, be into guys, he can let himself admire Rude a bit more openly. Like the line of his broad shoulders in his suit. And the fact that Reno knows just how much black ink and hard muscle is hidden underneath. His goddamn thighs. Who would have ever thought Reno would give two seconds’ thought to another man’s thighs? But they are just… so... strong. And how Rude always seems to be in control himself, and maybe even Reno too. He’s so calm that even when Reno is feeling wired and wild, when he’s yelling or threatening or blowing off steam, Reno feels like it must be okay because Rude would stop him if he went too far.

Yes, Reno would certainly like to spend more time in Rude’s bed. But he also is _not_ inclined to beg. He’s got plenty of pride after all. He’s a Turk! It’s pretty fucking embarassing that every time he’s been with Rude he’s been so thoroughly and completely taken apart. With Rude smugly in control, just like always. 

Reno knows he’s a pretty boy. It’s hard to grow up on the streets without a real clear picture of exactly how much random strangers want to fuck you. And he knows that Rude, in particular, wants him. The man goes to a lot of trouble for him, and Reno has no illusions about Rude’s end goals. Rude wants to fuck Reno, and so it seems only fair that Rude takes his own turn and does his share of the asking. 

So Reno tries to hold out. He’s started to tease and flirt. He strolled on Monday morning with his shirt unbuttoned to damn near his navel. Tseng just rolled his eyes, walked into his office, and closed the door behind him. He starts touching more—draping an arm around Rude’s shoulder or running his fingers along the back of his neck. He bites his lower lip and flutters his eyelashes while sitting on Rude’s desk.

Rude gives as good as he gets. Maybe better. He tugs Reno’s ponytail. He tugs his gloves on tighter. In the car this morning, he grabbed Reno’s hand and held it under his own on the stick shift of the car as he drove them into the slums. If the trip had been five minutes longer Reno might have come in his pants before they arrived.

So, they’re in a bit of a standoff as they eat greasy, griddle-toasted sandwiches and fries in the slums. Reno slips his socked foot up to Rude’s thigh teasingly. Rude grabs it and massages with hand strength that makes Reno bite his lip for real. They smile at each other knowingly. Daring. It’s obvious how things will end eventually. But each is holding out, confident that the other will break first. 

////

The two are headed back to the car, casually knocking shoulders, when shit goes down. 

Three dirty slumrats wearing red bandanas rush them at once, pushing them back into a trash-strewn alley. Reno gets punched in the face immediately and grappled down to the ground. He takes a kick to the side but he rolls back up bloody and snarling, whipping out his EMR and smiling like they just made his day. Two of the men focus on Reno while the third, holding a wooden bat, lays into Rude.

Rude takes two heavy blows to his back and shoulders while he’s distracted making sure that Reno gets back on his feet, and then turns and catches the bat on the third swing. He yanks it out of the punk’s hands and shows him his teeth before swinging it and breaking the man’s arm at the elbow.

It’s not much of a fight once both Turks are armed—and the thugs don’t seem to be in it for keeps. It’s probably just a gang initiation. Draw blood from the Turks and you’re in. The one with the broken arm runs first and the two getting tortured by Reno follow quickly.

Reno always seems to get the worst of it. His lip is split and his teeth have cut into the inside of his cheek. Spitting blood and cursing, he leans back against a dumpster to catch his breath. Something metal on the ground left a gash on his right shoulder which is still sluggishly bleeding.

After a quick stretch to make sure nothing is broken, Rude strides up to Reno and takes his face in both hands, looking at the red welt rising on his cheek. The split lip.

“You ok?” Rude asks. “Teeth ok? He slips one of his gloved fingers into Reno’s mouth to run it quickly over the teeth on the left side of his mouth. 

“Fine,” Reno says, pulling his head away with a shake. He turns and spits out blood again. 

Rude steps closer. Tips Reno’s face up to him. Comes in slowly and traces his tongue gently along Reno’s bottom lip. He laps up the blood that smeared down Reno’s chin and then returns to his mouth and tastes him again. Iron and salt and cinnamon candy. And Reno, making quiet sounds in the back of his throat.

Hands grab onto the lapels of Rude’s jacket as Reno tries to pull him closer, opening his mouth wider. But Rude keeps it light with soft, shallow licks and gentle pulls.

“Oh god,” Reno sighs in between kisses as Rude steps close enough for their hips to meet. He slides his hands up behind Rude’s ears and tries to pull him closer. “Harder,” he demands, getting nothing but steady, tender kisses as Rude’s thumbs stroke his cheekbones and Rude’s tongue barely meets his in between their lips. 

_“Harder,”_ he repeats with his next breath. “Make it hurt.”

The words slip out without his permission. Reno’s eyes pop open in alarm as Rude hums into the kiss. They both know what it means. Reno has lost their little game by asking for it. _Again_.

Rude gives him one more kiss, nipping lightly at his lower lip, before pulling back to look at him with bright red blood on his lips. His mouth is curled into the most smug, self-satisfied smirk Reno has ever seen.

“That’s what you want, huh?” Rude asks teasingly.

“Shit.” Reno bites out the word, glaring up at his partner. Irritation floods his system. Fucking Rude and his stupid fucking lips and the way he makes Reno lose his mind. Before he can think twice, he yanks Rude’s sunglasses off his face and spikes them straight down onto the dirty concrete. 

The look on Rude’s face when Reno turns back to him makes his blood run cold. Frustration cools to fear instantly.

“Oh now you’re gonna get it.” Rude’s voice does not sound teasing anymore.

Rude pushes Reno hard and fast with both hands on his chest, shoving him past the dumpster and further into the alley. The ground is slippery with trash and Reno nearly falls but Rude catches him by the front of his shirt and slams his back against the wall, knocking the breath out of him.

Reno grabs onto Rude’s arms, startled and gasping. Looks up into Rude’s amber-speckled eyes, narrowed with some emotion that looks like either anger or lust. Reno tries to get out a few words, maybe an apology, but Rude’s mouth is on him so fast and hard that his head knocks back against the wall. The pressure is painful against his split lower lip and worse when Rude sets his teeth into that lip and bites hard enough to tear a whimper from his lungs. But any sounds Reno makes are muffled by Rude’s tongue trying to reach the back of his throat.

Reno can’t do anything but take it. The pressure. The sting. Rude lapping blood off his mouth and grabbing his ass hard enough to make him grunt in pain. Rude shoves a muscular thigh between Reno’s legs and Reno nearly loses it at the pressure against his erection. He can’t control the desperate sounds he makes every time Rude rolls their hips together. 

“You need it so bad. Bet I could make you come just like this,” Rude says as he pulls away to hear Reno’s moans echoing in the alleyway.

“Don’t you _dare,_ assh—” but before he can finish, Rude presses a hand against his neck and shoves him back against the wall. He tightens his fingers for just a few seconds. Just long enough for Reno to realize how easy it is for Rude to block his airway, and then eases up.

“You were saying?”

Reno tilts his head back to look at Rude, eyes hazy under long lashes. Pulse racing hot against Rude’s fingers. He’s the sexiest fucking thing Rude has ever seen. 

“Fuck me,” Reno whispers. And once he gets it out he says it again and again. “God, Rude. Fuck me. Fuck me right now.” He’s still making demands when Rude yanks his head to the side bites him on the neck hard enough that his words just fizzle off into a shuddering cry.

“Fuu _uuck,”_ Reno grates out, and as soon as Rude gives him an inch of space he’s yanking Rude back down to kiss him again. He’s got one leg wrapped over Rude’s hip, practically climbing Rude to get their dicks closer together while also working to unbuckle his belt. 

“Reno… _Reno,”_ Rude tries to get his attention but Reno just plunges his hand into his partner’s briefs and grabs onto his cock like a lifeline.

“God _damn,_ you’re big,” he moans. It’s the first time that Reno has touched Rude’s cock, or any other man’s for that matter, and he’s floored at how large it feels in his hand. Can’t believe that it’s already been inside him.

“Reno, hold on,” Rude tries once more. And when Reno doesn’t even slow in his efforts to get his own belt undone, Rude slaps him across the face. Right where his check is already red and hard enough to turn his head.

When Reno looks back to him, mouth open, eyes wide, his pupils are so dilated he looks drugged. _He’s already halfway there_ , Rude thinks.  
  


“You told me to beg,” Reno says breathlessly. “I’m begging.” Rude grabs both of Reno’s hands, the one on Reno’s belt and the one stroking Rude’s dick, and presses them against the wall.

“Yeah. I like it. You got any lube in your jacket?”

“Uh…” Carrying lube actually never occurred to Reno before. “Can’t we just…make do?”

“No, Reno,” Rude tells him. “I would split you in two. You are not prepared for that kind of pain.”

“But… I…” the way Reno shivers, still staring at him, could be either excitement or fear.

Rude quiets him with a kiss. “Trust me?”

“Okay…” Reno whispers.

“Good. I’ll fuck you tonight.” Rude grabs his partner by the shoulders and squeezes so hard over the gash in his arm that Reno gasps and goes limp, falling forward against Rude’s chest. Finds himself lowered all the way down to his knees.

When Reno tilts his head up, Rude is looking down at him almost tenderly. He strokes Reno’s messy hair back from his face, finally weaving both gloved hands into the red strands.

“You can touch yourself,” he says and gently pulls Reno’s head towards him, making it clear what he wants. 

Reno has never done this before and Rude is large enough to be intimidating. Reno’s touch is light and hesitant as he tugs down Rude’s briefs. Runs his fingertips over Rude’s cock and down to his balls. Strokes his thumb along the sensitive flesh under the head. Stretches his hand all the way around to feel the growing thickness. It all feels good and sweet, but not nearly fast enough for Rude, who is standing with his ass out in an alley in daylight.

“Open your pretty mouth,” he says firmly, using his grip in Reno’s hair to bring those supple lips straight to his dick. Reno complies obediently, and the look he directs upward at Rude as he parts his lips around the head is absolutely devastating. Rude will remember, forever, the sight of his doe-eyed partner, blood smeared on his cheek, gazing up at him with two hands wrapped around his cock and the tip sliding into his mouth.

Reno doesn’t know what he’s doing, but he’s already decided to go all-in on this thing so he starts applying himself. After all, he’s had his fair share of blowjobs so he’s not working from zero. He starts by lapping at the tip with his tongue, and then works his tongue down to the base and back up, giving Rude a perfect, sloppy show. Slides his hands up and down, getting everything slick. 

Rude lets Reno stroke him a few times, before he tugs on his hair to get his attention. “Just your mouth now.”

Reno lets his hands slip down and finishes opening his pants. He puts one hand on Rude’s thigh for balance, and wraps the other around his own cock. Opening his mouth wide, he leans forward to take in more of Rude. Rude is big enough that it’s hard for Reno to keep his teeth from scraping. Looking back up at Rude for reassurance, he has to close his eyes in embarrassment when Rude gives him a dirty smile.

“Didn’t know you could be so fucking good.”

Rude tilts Reno’s head to the perfect angle and leans forward with one hand against the wall. He starts with small, gentle motions and a slow pace, dipping himself deeper and deeper into Reno’s wet mouth. 

“You gonna take it all?” he asks

Reno moans around him and tries his best. Lets Rude control his head completely, practically hanging from that large hand in his hair. As Rude takes over, fucking into his mouth, Reno feels his own cock get harder in his hand. The pull on his hair, the loss of control, it feels wild and perfect.

Sliding a hand to the back of Reno’s head, Rude finally lets himself go and thrusts deep, pushing in until he hits hard against Reno’s throat. The gagging starts immediately— sweet, strained sounds. Rude gives five more firm thrusts and then pulls back to let Reno cough and breathe. The stretch has split Reno’s lip again and he wipes away blood and spit with the back of his hand. When Reno tips his head up again, Rude expects to see irritation or defiance. Instead Reno opens his mouth and lays out his tongue flat like he’s asking for more.

“Fuck... you like that,” Rude pants.

He yanks Reno by the hair onto his dick again. Pulls him _deep_ and holds him there until the hand on his thigh flexes, and then backs off slightly. Lets Reno recover with eyes streaming and a mouth full of cock, doing his best to breathe and suck and swallow and not throw up. Then does it again. Rude keeps it up with long, slow thrusts. Not hard, but steady and as deep as Reno can handle. 

With Rude holding his head and controlling the pace, practically controlling his breathing, Reno finds that he’s suddenly very close to coming.

He wants Rude to come too. Reno can’t take the whole thing—can’t imagine how anyone actually could—so he wraps a hand around the base of Rude’s cock, slippery with his spit. He glances up to Rude for permission and Rude nearly loses at the sight of Reno’s face, streaked with tears and spit and blood. Eyes pleading.

“Go ahead and come,” Rude allows. 

Reno’s eyes close in pleasure. He times his strokes to Rude’s thrusts and within a minute, he spills out onto the cement between Rude’s legs, head tipped back into Rude’s hands for him to watch, moans coming out muffled around Rude’s thick cock.

It’s the small, broken sounds that do it. Rude’s orgasm takes him by surprise. He’s still holding onto Reno by the hair when he comes straight against the back of his throat.

It takes Reno by surprise too. He’s still only half-aware, riding out the tail end of his orgasm when he’s suddenly drowning in Rude’s thick cum. He chokes and coughs uncontrollably, swallowing some and spraying the rest onto Rude’s thighs.

Rude tries to show concern, but he’s laughing too hard to apologize as he crouches down to help his partner.

“Fuck!” Reno spits whatever left in his mouth into the alley. “Give me some warning.”

“Sorry,” Rude says, still chuckling. “I didn’t mean to do that.” He can’t help but like the results though. Reno looks absolutely destroyed. His lips are swollen and his face is a mess. Rude is pretty sure that there’s cum in his ponytail. 

Rude pulls them both back up to their feet and cleans Reno’s face gently with a handkerchief from his jacket. Tips up Reno’s chin and kisses him very, very softly on his abused mouth. Before they part, Rude cures him.

“Hey,” Reno says startled. He brings one hand to his now-healed lip. “I… thought... “ He thought Rude would leave him beat up to play with him more in the evening.

“You know I can make my own marks, right?” Rude gives him a small, wicked smile. “C’mon,” he says working on his pants. “We’re still on the clock.”

  
  


////

  
  


Returning to the office is a special kind of torture. The afternoon passes minute by painful minute. Jerking off on his knees was fine, pretty fun actually, but Reno has been thinking for far too long about Rude fucking him to be satisfied with their little alleyway encounter. He’s already lost the game. Dragging it out further is just cruel. All he wants to do is fall into Rude’s apartment, turn off his brain, and let Rude set the agenda. 

If it weren’t for the fact that he needs Rude to accomplish this, he would have called in sick immediately and not even bothered coming back to the office. As it is, he’s sitting at his desk miserable, staring off into space and counting the minutes until their shift ends. Reno has no idea what Rude is doing at his desk. He can’t even look at his partner without getting hard.

After a few hours, he gives up even the pretense of working. Reno lays his head on his desk and breathes slowly, hoping he’ll fall asleep. Hoping Tseng doesn’t come in to the office.

A warm hand on the back of his neck startles him. 

“C’mon. We’re going,” Rude tells him.

Reno sits up and looks at the clock in confusion. It’s five after four. Rude’s already pulling him up out of his chair. “Really?” he asks.

“I don’t wanna wait either, and you look like you’re about to die.” Rude nudges him towards the door. “Let’s get out of here.”

Reno’s so out of it that Rude has to steer him down to the parking garage and into the car. As they’re walking into Rude’s apartment building, Rude never takes his hands off Reno. He’s constantly stroking his neck or sliding an arm around his waist or guiding him by the hips like they’re lovers. It’s intimate and comforting. Bit by bit, Reno feels like the nonessential parts of himself are shutting down. He stands on the elevator with his cheek laying on Rude’s collar, breathing his cologne like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Once they arrive in the apartment, Rude heads straight into the hall bathroom and turns on the shower. Reno looks at him in confusion.

“Clean yourself up,” Rude tells him. “ _Real_ clean. Take your time.” he emphasizes.

Reno just blushes and heads in silently. The heat and white noise are soothing. He washes his hair, rinsing away the blood and cum from the alley. He washes his body… thoroughly… like he thinks Rude meant. Rude’s soap smells like him. Reno doesn’t know what the scent is, but it’s masculine and herbal. Between the steam and the scent and the anticipation of what’s next, Reno feels positively dreamy.

When he steps out, all his stuff is gone. No clothes. Not even his ponytail holder. Just a pile of fluffy towels. He wrings out his hair and rubs it dry. Carefully dries his body and wraps a towel around his waist.

He steps out hesitantly and walks to Rude’s bedroom. Rude is waiting for him. He has also cleaned himself up, drops of water still visible on his shoulders from the shower. And other interesting places too. He’s sitting on the bed completely naked.

It would feel awkward but Reno is too distracted by the sight of Rude to process anything else— the muscles, the tats, the thighs, the shoulders. Reno could look for a long time and Rude seems inclined to let him this once. He leans back on his elbows and the way his muscles shift under his skin, under the black ink, is distracting enough to make Reno inhale sharply. 

Rude smiles at him, smug and sexy. “Drop that towel and come here.”

The sun hasn’t set yet and the light is warm and golden as Reno walks to the bed. He hesitates briefly before he climbs on top of Rude with chests and thighs and more rubbing together. He presses his forehead against Rude’s chest out of shyness, but quickly realizes there’s nothing he wants more than to have his mouth on those pecs. 

They’re both clean and damp and fresh and full of want. The feeling, the taste of Rude’s skin in Reno’s mouth, is entirely different than this afternoon in the slums. They both have the sense that—finally—there is no hurry. No need to rush in quickly before either of them has a chance to think again. Rude can take his time. Reno can slowly dissolve in his hands. They can use up every bit of desire.

“You ready?” Rude asks, trailing his fingers down Reno’s spine to stroke his tailbone. 

“Mmmmhm.” Reno’s mouth is so busy it feels like he is going to lick the ink straight off Rude’s chest. Then he picks up his head to look at Rude. Rude’s eyes look flecked with yellow in the afternoon light. Intense under straight, dark eyebrows. “Do I, uh… need a word or something?”

Rude grabs his cheek to keep his face close. “I’m not playing consent games. You wanna stop, say stop. I’m not going easy on you today. You want it, right?”

That “it” is so loaded Reno feels woozy. “I want it,” he mumbles, meaning everything, and Rude kisses him. Reno’s starting to get used to it. The smell of aftershave and the feeling of Rude’s goatee against his chin. It’s starting to feel really _good._

“Then c’mere.” Rude shifts back to lean against the headboard and pulls Reno to straddle his hips. He grabs Reno’s hand and nips at his fingers with a smile before popping open the lube bottle and slicking them up.

Reno looks at his hand and then back up to Rude’s face in confusion. _Is he asking for a hand job?_

His cluelessness is every bit as appealing as his unmarked skin and the damp, messy hair falling in unruly waves around his face. Rude takes Reno’s wrist and shifts his slicked-up hand behind his hips. Reno’s eyes get big as he realizes what Rude is implying.

“You… want me to…?”

“Mmmhm,” Rude looks at him patiently, his eyes amused.

“But I don’t…” Reno trails off. His cheeks are turning red under Rude’s gaze. Rude has to touch one to feel just how hot they are.

“Start with one,” Rude tells him.

Reno rolls his lip in his teeth. The thought of doing this to himself while Rude watches him is painfully embarrassing. He’s frozen.

They stare at each other for an uncomfortably long time. “You want me to make you?” Rude asks. His lips quirk, almost in a smile, but his tone is predatory. Reno inhales sharply.

Closing his eyes tight, face still flushed, Reno begins to touch himself tentatively. Slips in one finger. It’s awkward reaching behind himself and it doesn’t feel nearly as good as when Rude has done it before. Rude nudges his hand slightly so Reno begins to move it in and out. He feels the raspy beginning of tears in his throat.

Rude lets him squirm for a minute. In all their time working together, he has never seen Reno looking so uncertain. The discomfort is gorgeous on his pretty face, but Rude doesn’t push it too long before offering reassurance. 

“That’s good, baby,” he says quietly. The pet name barely even registers to Reno but he does catch the praise. “You look so good like this.” Rude rubs his hands up over Reno’s hips, up the sides of his chest, and then catches and combs his long, damp hair over his shoulders. 

Reno sighs at the touch and the words. Rude’s fingers on his skin feel warm and soothing. It helps him feel less like he’s on display.

“Do two.”

So Reno does, adding the second slippery finger. He’s still tense and he winces at the stretch and burn, but it doesn’t feel bad, exactly. It feels… clinical. Rude keeps slowly stroking his sides, his hair, his hips. Reno steels himself, swallows, and glances down at his partner. Rude looks relaxed and completely focused, as if there’s nothing in the world other than Reno kneeling above him. His cock is hard and curving up against his stomach. 

Seeing the evidence that Rude likes watching him goes a long way to help Reno start feeling sexy instead of awkward. He relaxes, just slightly, arching towards his fingers.

“Does it feel good?”

Rude’s _voice_ feels good, rumbling like a caress. But his own fingers? Reno shrugs. “I dunno.”

“You want me to do the next one?” Rude asks, barely smiling.

 _“Yes,”_ Reno breaths, setting his free hand on Rude’s shoulder.

Rude slicks up his own fingers and slides his hand between Reno’s legs. He strokes lightly down Reno’s cock— not hard yet— and over his balls before tracing back far enough to feel Reno’s fingers moving with the tips of his own. Gently, Rude caresses his tight rim before he slips a finger inside, thrusting in time.

He has a much better angle than Reno. Rude pushes deep and curls his finger just so, provoking Reno to arch his back and cry out. Fingers dig into Rude’s shoulder.

“Mmm… very tight, baby,” Rude tells him, rubbing his finger in a circular motion. “Can you relax for me?”

Reno huffs out in irritation. “I ain’t exactly used to this and you’re makin’ me nervous.”

“I like you nervous.”

“Yeah well, so here we are.”

Rude reaches up to wrap his free hand around the back of Reno’s neck. He rubs gently, pushing his fingers along the base of Reno’s skull. Then harder, massaging the tense muscles at the nape of his neck. Even tilting his head left and right. 

“You can relax,” Rude says. “Let me take care of you tonight.” Reno sighs at the warmth of Rude’s hand. His hips begin to shift with the rhythm of their fingers. The tension eases a bit more.

“Who’s doing four—you or me?” Rude asks, stroking down his chest.

 _“Four?_ The fuck?” Reno’s hand slows down

“You do four and I’ll do five,” Rude says, as calmly as he says _you go left, I’ll go right._

Reno slides his hand to Rude’s jaw and tips his face up to see his eyes. Rude’s stubble is scratchy on Reno’s hand.

“Are you serious?”

“I _said_ I wasn’t going easy on you.” Reno shudders as Rude’s fingers stroke his nipple. “You’ll be glad for it later. You think I’m smaller than that?”

“Uh… I…” Reno supposes he might have a point.

“You’ll love it.” Rude taps a finger on the back of Reno’s hand.

Pressing his lips together, Reno gives in. The whole reason he came here was to give in, so why fight it. He spreads his fingers just enough to fit in another. The stretch is still enough to make him pant.

Rude barely lets him get used to it before he adds the fifth, his fingers sliding in deep and demanding.

“Ohhh,” Reno moans, almost flinching away except he can’t because Rude’s arm is now tight around his hips, holding him still. This definitely feels like _too much_ and he can’t control it as he spasms painfully around all those fingers. Tears leak onto the tattoos on his cheeks as he gasps.

Holding him tighter, Rude shushes him. “I’ve got you.” Rude pulls him close and kisses across his collarbone until he arrives at Reno’s shoulder. He bites hard enough to bruise and simultaneously curls his fingers to press firmly into Reno’s prostate. The layers of pain, the spike of pleasure, it all combines to overload Reno’s nervous system and— for a few seconds— he’s not sure what he feels.

Until everything gives out. Reno slumps forward against Rude, body relaxing as a last resort. Giving up the fight, the strain. And then things get better. Their fingers slide easier. The pain begins to fade, and what’s left underneath is the pleasure of being filled and stretched and touched by Rude. Rude’s fingers don’t stop penetrating him, and Reno suddenly thinks he could take even more. 

“Fuck,” he whispers.

“Good now?” Rude looks up at him. Keeps his fingers moving over just the right spot.

“I’m good.”

Any lingering bashfulness wiped away, Reno begins to roll his hips in time with their fingers, his cock growing hard. Rude spreads his fingers slightly, testing, and Reno curls against him and moans, his voice gritty and desperate. Rude’s not even sure if Reno is aware of it when Rude slides in one more, preparing him thoroughly.

Rude lets Reno work himself up to almost fever pitch before he squeezes him close and eases their fingers out. Grabs Reno’s hand and wipes them both clean with a towel he’d set on the bed. Reno is whimpering against his chest.

Rude strokes his back soothingly. “I won’t leave you empty for long” 

He rolls them over, pressing Reno down into the bed and kissing his pretty mouth. Rude’s hands are already moving, grabbing a length of black rope that was tucked under a pillow. With clearly practiced skill, Rude binds Reno’s wrists together and ties them to the bottom of the headboard, pulling Reno’s arms to lay above his head. He looks Reno over, pleased.

Reno takes it all with calm, dreamy eyes. Rude’s already in control here. What’s a little rope?

He does squirm a bit when he sees what Rude grabs next. A thick, black, plug. 

“What’s that for?” he blurts out while Rude trickles lube over it. Then bites his lip for asking such a stupid question. Obviously it’s going into him.

“To keep you open for me.” Rude gives his cock one teasing lick as he pushes Reno’s legs apart and teases his entrance with the tapered end. “Don’t wanna undo all that hard work.”

Reno is panting. “Aren’t you gonna…” _fuck me?_

“I am,” Rude responds as he slips the toy in further and then eases it back out. Reno has to squeeze his eyes shut to block out the sight of Rude watching with such satisfaction as _that_ part of him stretches around the plug. It’s about the same size as their fingers and feels good when it finally settles inside of him. 

“But first,” Rude taps on the base of the plug, “we’re gonna talk about my sunglasses. You brat.”

He loops an arm under Reno’s thigh and flips him onto his stomach so quickly his head spins. Reno scrambles onto knees and elbows but Rude yanks his hips backwards so Reno falls onto his face and chest, leaving his ass perfectly presented.

They are both surprised when a slightly hysterical laugh bubbles from between Reno’s lips.

“You don’t sound sorry at all,” Rude says.

“I’m… not? We both know we’d be here anyway. Do you even need the excuse?”

“Let’s call it extra motivation. I’d prefer that you not do that again.” Rude slaps him hard on the inner thigh. 

“Mmmph.” Reno spreads his thighs slightly. “Then teach me a lesson, partner.”

Rude fucking does.

Reno can’t tell what’s in Rude’s hand. It’s flat and hard. Broader than the belt. Reno’s flippant attitude evaporates quickly. The first hit to his ass is so hard he sees stars and they continue exactly like that. He’d swear Rude is using his full strength. Midway through the first round Rude pauses to pull Reno back by the hips because he’s scooted far enough up the bed to hunch over his arms. Then he keeps going.

The sensation changes over time. At first it’s shocking and stingy. Knocks the breath right out of him. Over time it shifts to feel deeper and bruising, making him whimper and moan. Reno rubs his face back and forth on the bedding to distract himself. It’s not until Rude yanks him backwards for the second time that Reno realizes how acutely aware he is of the plug inside of him. He’s clenching around it so tightly with each blow that it feels like it's growing bigger inside of him. It hurts or it feels good, he can’t tell. Either way, it’s a constant reminder that layered underneath the obvious pain is a deep undercurrent of pleasure and sensuality. Rude wants him. Rude wants to fuck him. Rude is _taking care_ of him. 

The tears begin rather quickly. Reno doesn’t even try to hold them back. He’s diving into the experience and all the uncomfortable feelings that go with it. It’s not the pain that gets to him— he’s dealt with plenty of pain in his life. No, it’s the release of not having to take care of himself for five fucking minutes. The difficult, yet appealing, idea of letting go and giving all that responsibility to someone else who actually wants it. Wants _him._ Someone who has his back and pays attention and figures out what Reno needs before he knows himself. And then gives it to him. 

Reno is pouring himself out onto the bed. But Rude doesn’t pause until Reno breaks completely and starts sobbing into the blanket. He lets Reno crawl forward so he can pull his arms and legs under his body, curling up small. Rude lays his broad hands on Reno’s back and kisses his neck.

Rude would usually tease at this point. Ask if Reno is sorry yet or make him start counting. But he can tell Reno is already in too deep for that. Reno’s sinking like a stone in the ocean. “You’re doing really well, baby,” is all he says. 

Reno can only shiver as Rude strokes down his flanks. He’s still heaving and coughing and sniffling in the bedding. 

Rude gives him time to get his breathing under control. And then he says, “Up,” because Rude wants to get a better look at the marks. Reno responds instantly and lifts his ass back up on shaky thighs. Rude lets him keep his arms under his shoulders this time. Runs his hand smoothly down the lean body until he gets to the hot, abused skin. Reno’s ass, and the backs of his thighs, are a bright, mottled red—nearly the same color as his hair. Tomorrow he’ll be purple with bruises and even more gorgeous. The heat is palpable under Rude’s fingertips as he softly strokes over his marks.

The room is growing dimmer as the sun sets and somehow it only makes all the colors stand out more. Reno’s pale back, luminous against Rude’s black bedding. The red skin that Rude marked up. Damp, dark hair spilling on pillows and a sheen of sweat on Reno’s skin. Every bit of it is beautiful. Every pathetic sound cuts straight to Rude’s core. 

He kisses Reno softly at the base of his spine and squeezes his hips. “Little more.”

The second round is always Rude’s favorite round. Once the skin is already sensitive. Muscles already tender. Self-control shattered. He puts down the paddle and switches to his hand, enjoying the sound of Reno calling out with every hit and the way he breathes, like he’s coming up for air, when Rude takes a break to stroke his thighs. 

The second round doesn’t last long. Rude brings Reno right up to the edge, but not over. Rude feels so perfectly in sync with his partner that he can read the curve of his back and the twitch of his fingers and the tone of his voice as easily as his own handwriting. Most of what comes out of Reno’s mouth is too garbled to be called words, but the second Rude catches his own name, colored with a tinge of hysteria, he stops. Strokes Reno’s ass and kisses the dimples in his back. 

“You’re done.”

Reno collapses down to the bed in relief. Rude pulls him up to rest on the pillows and holds him close. Spoons around him and presses a comforting hand to Reno’s shaking chest. When the crying tapers off, Rude wipes Reno’s eyes with tissues and helps him blow his nose like he’s a child. Having Reno so worked up in his arms makes Rude feel peacefully calm and in control. 

Reno starts winding down from his emotional peak, but Rude wants to keep him in the same headspace so he slowly alters his touch. As Reno quiets to small, involuntary whimpers, Rude begins teasing his nipples. Gently at first, relishing the soft flesh and stroking each one hard. Then pinching slow and firm until Reno’s breath catches and stutters. Next, tracing light fingers down to Reno’s belly, running his fingers through the soft curls above Reno’s hardening cock while Rude kisses all the freckles on Reno’s shoulder and whispers how good he is.

Rude catches Reno as he’s coming up out of that hazy, dreamy space, and drags him back down deeper. Slowly, skillfully he reawakens Reno’s arousal, slipping them back into the sexual undercurrent that has been with them all day. Shifting Reno seamlessly from accepting pain to accepting pleasure. 

Once Reno is breathing deeply in time with him, Rude drags his hand over Reno’s hip and slides it down to find the plug, which already feels so big and so tight inside of Reno. First Rude presses it forward into Reno’s prostate, rolling it against the sensitive gland. _Unngh._ Then he twists it, left and right. _Fuck._ And when Reno is mewling with need, he digs his fingers around the base and pulls just enough that Reno’s muscles begin to soften, before letting it slip back inside him. 

Feeling wrung out and perfectly, wonderfully empty, Reno is operating on pure instinct. Too far gone for begging, he simply absorbs everything he’s given. He’s entirely open to Rude, sliding his top leg forward to make more room and moving his hips in time with Rude’s hands. If he were aware of the noises coming out of his mouth, Reno would be flushed with embarrassment. 

Rude works Reno over with the plug, holding him close and slipping it in and out until Rude has unwound any tightness and tension caused by the spanking. He pulls it to the widest point, keeping Reno fully stretched, holding him still so he can’t shift away, until Reno makes a quiet protest, deep in his throat.

“Hurts?” Rude whispers.

Reno shakes his head. That’s not exactly the word.

Rude shoves the plug back in hard and that _does_ hurt Reno but fuck he wants more.

“Ready, baby?”

Reno seems beyond language but he arches back against Rude— a clear enough plea. Rude slicks himself thoroughly. He teases Reno once more with the plug before tugging it out and thrusting his own cock in instead. Reno is so well prepared that Rude is fully seated in a single quick glide.

It takes Reno by surprise. Rude is nearly all the way in before Reno realizes just how much he’s getting and moans out Rude’s name with an edge of desperation in his voice. Rude wraps his partner up in his arms, and Reno’s hands, still tied, grab onto Rude’s forearm, like he wants to be held even tighter. Their hips move in tandem. Reno is so eager that he’s pushing back on Rude nearly as hard as Rude is thrusting into him. He’s been thinking about having Rude inside him for so long that he’s getting off on the idea as much as the sensation. 

Each time they come together, Reno feels the sting of his bruised flesh slapping against Rude’s hips and the subtle spark of pain only adds to the pleasure of Rude filling him up.

For Rude, the long build up has only made this moment sweeter. There’s nothing he wants more than to be in his bed feeling the heat of Reno’s red skin and fucking into the warmth of his body. Rude wants to go harder, but he isn’t sure how delicate Reno is feeling after sobbing through the spanking. Rude wants it to be good for him.

“Reno, you feel so fucking amazing.” It’s not just lip service. Rude has never felt so satisfied in his life. Having Reno submit to him like this feels like perfection. “I want you every goddamn day.” Rude hooks an arm under Reno’s thigh to open him up wider to Rude’s thrusts. “I want you over my desk. On your knees in the chopper. I want you to ride me in the limo.” Rude’s teeth bite into Reno’s neck before he can help it. He feels _frantic._

With Rude holding his leg, Reno can’t push back, but he wants it harder. He wants _everything_ Rude can give him. He wants to know how much he can take. 

Reno can only mobilize his thoughts enough to choke out a single word. “More.”

The brief request is plenty and Rude won’t make him ask again. “You got it.”

He rolls Reno onto his knees again and pulls him back so he falls prostrate, with his arms stretched out in front of him, still tied to the headboard. Nudges his knees wide and plunges back into him. Reno has no leverage to move against him, but he’s happy to just take it. It feels so good— the harder Rude goes, the less Reno’s brain works.

Rude’s voice is ragged. “More?”

“Yes yes yes,” Reno mumbles into the sheets. 

So Rude leans forward to push one hand down on the back of Reno’s neck, uses the other to grab his cock, and fucks Reno relentlessly until he comes screaming. It doesn’t take very long. Reno comes so hard he nearly knocks Rude off of him. He jerks on the ropes until his wrists burn. He strains his voice. He’s blown out like a candle.

Rude grabs onto Reno’s hips hard enough to bruise and lets Reno’s thrashing carry him off the edge as well, utterly gratified by the sounds of Reno losing it. He wraps himself around Reno’s shuddering frame and comes with violent strokes as Reno tenses around him and whimpers, oversensitive. 

They sink down into the sheets, one on top of the other sweaty, trembling, sore and sated.

The minute he comes back to himself, Rude rolls Reno over and unties his hands. He didn’t expect Reno to pull so hard on the ropes and he kisses the reddened chafe marks wrapping around them. Reno’s eyes are still closed. 

“Are you ok, Reno?” Rude pulls him close and lays a hand on his cheek. Leans over to kiss his lips but Reno just pants on him.

Reno is barely able to croak out a response. “’m good.”

The sun is just setting and the light in Rude’s bedroom is gray and murky. It’s almost dinnertime but Rude thinks Reno may just pass out. And that sounds pretty good actually. But...

“Reno,” he says more intently, stroking his cheek.

Reno doesn’t stir. “Wha?” he slurs out.

“I want you to stay the night.”

“Okay.” Reno sounds completely indifferent. Half asleep.

“Really, please stay.” Rude isn’t sure if he’s done better this time. If he’s made Reno feel safe or comfortable or wanted enough to stay. But he’s certain that if Reno leaves after all this, he’s going to have a drop in his own shitty apartment in headquarters and feel terrible.

“Okay.” Reno’s voice is sleepier than before. Rude isn’t sure he’s really paying attention.

Rude strokes his hair. “If you stay, I’ll blow you in the morning. Real sweet. Make you breakfast too.”

Reno almost smiles and cracks an eye open. “If I say no, what else ya gonna offer?”

Rude considers pinching him on his sore ass, but Reno is relaxed and adorable and Rude doesn’t want to ruin it.

“Farmer’s market?”

Reno tips his head so that his forehead rests on Rude’s shoulder.

“Fuck off. I’ll stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm considering an indulgent daddy kink epilogue. We'll see :)


	4. Epilogue

“Baby,” Rude breaths. “You are so, so good to me.”

Reno is on his knees between Rude’s legs, licking his lips, eyes smoldering up at Rude beneath long lashes. They haven’t even made it to the bedroom. Rude had grabbed Reno by the collar the minute they stepped through the door to his apartment. Pulled him over to the couch and said, “Kneel.” And now Rude is reclined on the couch, his hips pulled forward to the edge, watching Reno fish his big cock out of his pants.

Over the few months that they’ve been fucking regularly, Reno has grown more confident. He likes to be sexy and he likes to put on a bit of a show, although Rude usually manages to take him apart anyway. To drag him down into that haze of sweet pain and nervousness until he gives up all pretense of control.

But for now, Reno is teasing. Pressing sloppy open mouthed kisses up the underside of Rude’s cock, and swirling his tongue around the head. He’s feeling particularly sly today because he has a little something up his sleeve.

He sucks hard at the head, making Rude groan, and then gives him another wicked look.

“Do you like that, _Daddy?”_

Reno asks the question with his lips pressed against Rude’s dick. He’s hoping to catch Rude by surprise. He’s been toying with the idea for weeks. Rude calls him _Baby_ often enough in the bedroom. It took Reno a while to realize he liked it. But now, Reno is hoping to throw Rude off balance for once. And it is, indeed, gratifying the way Rude’s cock twitches against his lips when Reno says it.

What Reno doesn’t expect, however, is how it makes _him_ feel. _Dirty. Trashy._ And harder than he’s ever been in his life. The hair on the back of his neck stands on end and he can feel his cheeks flush pink as soon as it slips out of his lips. 

_Daddy._

Reno tries to tuck his face back down, taking Rude deep into his mouth to hide his own reaction. But Rude, like always, catches _everything._ His hand works to the nape of Reno’s neck, grabbing a fistful of hair and angling his head back up. The cock slides out of his mouth.

Rude forces Reno to meet his eyes. Dark and knowing and amused. Rude says nothing for a good long while and then asks in a voice so low Reno can feel it in his guts, “So you want to be a _good boy,_ do you?” His tone promises wicked things.

Reno is already panting and his eyes flutter closed. He can’t maintain eye contact while they’re playing this game. It’s too embarrassing. “Yes.”

“No.” Rude clenches his hand pulling Reno’s hair tight. Reno hisses and looks back at him. _“Say it,”_ Rude tells him.

Reno licks his lips. He can’t believe he’s lost control of this so quickly. And yet, it feels so good to be coerced into saying what he wants to anyway. His voice is thin when he finally gets it out. “Yes, Daddy.” His cheeks are on fire.

“Go to the bedroom and take off your clothes,” Rude says quietly.

Reno goes instantly. He sits on the bed, naked and hard. Rude’s room is dim, lit only by a small, single bedside lamp. It’s tidy and spare, but luxurious. Simple, well-made furniture. Soft sheets. Lots of pillows and a very big bed. There’s not much sitting out, but Reno knows Rude has all sorts of _things_ tucked away in drawers and in the closet. Reno never, ever looks at that stuff. Rude hasn’t told him not to, it’s more that he doesn’t want to know.

Rude comes in a few minutes later, holding a highball glass. He’s still in his white shirt and black slacks. He sits up at the head of the bed, sips his drink and tosses Reno the lube. 

“Open yourself up, baby. I want a show.”

That’s something Reno knows how to do. He crawls up over Rude’s lap only to have Rude’s hand yank his head back by the ponytail.

“What do you say?” Rude asks slowly.

Reno lowers his eyes and swallows. “Yes, daddy.” His voice is still weak.

Reno slicks his fingers and reaches behind himself with much far more confidence than he did the first time Rude asked for this.

“No, baby.” Rude strokes his face. “I want a _show._ Turn around.”

 _Well this is new._ Reno hesitates for a minute before turning his back to Rude. He looks over his shoulder questioningly. Rude gives him a dark smile and then sits up. He puts one hand between Reno’s shoulder blades and gently pushes his chest down to the bed. 

“There you go, baby. Let me see now.” Rude sits back. He knocks Reno’s knees further apart. Reno can feel cool air on private places. He thinks he can feel Rude’s eyes too, and it makes him squirm. Makes his skin prickle. Somehow, as soon as Reno gets comfortable, Rude always finds a way to push him further. To keep him on edge until something in him breaks and his self control, practically his whole sense of self, dissipates. Reno won’t admit, even to himself, how good it feels.

“Good,” Rude says, and cracks him on the ass. “Get going.”

Reno closes his eyes and pretends that he’s not ass-up in Rude’s bed, with Rude’s eyes on him. He still doesn’t touch himself this way when he’s alone. It’s something he saves for Rude, and it makes him feel very anxious to do it _like this._

He works up to two fingers. He can’t get them very deep from this angle but Rude seems to like it. Reno can hear him unzip his pants and begin stroking his cock quietly at the head of the bed. He’s about to add the third when Rude touches his hand.

“Stop. Stay just like that.”

Reno freezes and listens to Rude rise from the bed and rustle around in his closet. He returns to the bed and even with his cheek pressed to the blanket Reno can see exactly what he’s got.

The fucking monster.

It doesn’t actually have a name, but that’s what Reno calls it in his head. A massive black dildo. It’s gotta be thicker than Rude. It’s definitely longer. Reno hasn’t done a side by side comparison—he’s never actually held it in his hands—but he still gets a quivery feeling in his chest when he thinks about the time Rude used it on him.

He was on his back, legs spread wide and resting on pillows. It was an unusually comfortable and relaxing setup for them. Rude had prepared him so thoroughly Reno was sure he was about to get fucked. But then Rude pulled out this huge goddamn dildo and looked at him like a wolf looks at a bunny. It made his heart jump in his chest. Reno was panting and whimpering before Rude had even finished lubing the thing up.

And then he put his big, heavy hand right under Reno’s belly button, pressing down like he wanted to feel the fucking thing from the outside and Reno lost it. He grabbed on to Rude’s wrist, with barely enough breath to speak.

“Rude, am I safe?” The words sounded strange to Reno’s ears, but it was all he could get out.

Rude had held his chin firmly. Looked at him with eyes that were too soft for what his hands were doing. Leaned forward to kiss him long and deep until it felt like his lungs could take in air again. 

“Yes, baby. You’re safe.” 

And Reno believed him. So he closed his eyes and moaned and whimpered and shook and shuddered while Rude inexorably worked that thing inside of him. 

Reno had never felt so full, spread so thin, so dangerously vulnerable in his life. It felt different inside of him than Rude. Harsher. Less yielding. It demanded more give from his body than real flesh and Reno quickly felt like he was at the end of what he could give.

But Rude kept going. He pushed it further and further inside, his hand rubbing Reno’s lower abdomen in what could have felt like a gentle massage but was nothing of the sort. While Rude groaned with pleasure as he pressed to feel the toy deep inside of him, Reno whimpered at the teasing, probing pressure from Rude’s fingers that made him feel it twice over. Certain he was about to break for good, Reno finally gasped in a shaking, bit-off breath; a clear precursor to actual sobs. 

Rude’s eyes were heavy when he relented and sat back to look him over. “Fuck you look good,” he said. Voice as wrecked as Reno felt. “I don’t think I’ve ever…” his deep voice trailed off as his finger stroked Reno lightly, right where the toy met his body. “Baby, I gotta have a picture of this.”

He got up and left Reno in the bed like that, speared and frozen. Eyes closed, jaws tight, afraid that the slightest motion would leave him shattered. Reno didn’t open his eyes. He didn’t protest. He endured with shallow breaths and waited for whatever Rude would do next once he climbed carefully back into the bed.

Reno wasn’t expecting Rude’s mouth on his cock, licking warm and wet all the way up the underside. His muscles clenched instinctively, and seizing around the toy created more pain than pleasure. Reno whimpered and pressed the back of his hand over his mouth while Rude watched him intently.

Then Rude licked him again and tears started streaming down his face. His muscles tried again to tighten, only to find that there was absolutely no give inside of him. The pain only seemed to make his cock harder and when Rude took his whole length deep into his mouth, Reno fell into begging.

_“Rude!”_

_“Fuck!”_

Rude started bobbing his head up and down.

_“Please… please don’t… don’t make me come like this.”_

Reno almost never said no. But this. He couldn’t do this. He would die, split in two.

Rude rose off his cock and fixed him with a direct look. “You could do it. I think you would like it.” Rude’s palm traced over the head of his cock smearing around precum and spit.

 _“No,”_ Reno tossed his head side to side. _“No, no, no, no…”_

“Ok, baby,” Rude relented, kissing the tip of his cock. Then he made Reno touch himself while Rude slowly—so slowly that Reno wasn’t always sure he was even moving it—twisted and nudged and pulled the monster out of him, pressing down on his stomach to make him feel every inch in a way that was absolute, sweet agony.

When the slick black head of it _finally_ slipped out of him, they both groaned. For Reno it was relief combined with a strange, empty feeling that was almost painful in its own right. 

Rude, on the other hand, seemed completely taken with the sight of him.

“Fuck. _Look_ at you.” 

And Rude looked, kneeling between Reno’s legs, his thumbs pressing into the soft flesh of Reno’s ass to spread him wide. “Fuck,” he repeated, biting his lip. Reno had never seen Rude so shattered. Almost like his control was slipping.

Rude squeezed him hard enough to leave bruises on his ass and then moved those big hands. One went to Rude’s thick cock, the other went to touch Reno. 

“Reno, you’re perfect,” he whispered, tracing one finger in a circle inside him. The gentle touch on his stretched-out rim made Reno shiver. Rude groaned again, louder this time, when Reno’s muscles tried to tighten around his finger. His hand moved faster on his cock and he slipped in a second finger to spread and twist.

“Hold yourself open for me,” Rude demanded, and Reno finally had to turn his head away, too aroused and too embarrassed to watch Rude any more. He slipped his hands down under his thighs to do as he was told, letting Rude shift his hands to lay exactly where he wanted. All Reno could do was whimper when Rude started pinching along the edge of his abused flesh, groaning again as Renos’s body quivered in reaction.

“Fuck you’re so good,” Rude panted, beginning to thrust harder into his own hand. “Wider, baby. I’m gonna come right into your hole.” 

Reno refused to let his brain process Rude’s words, but he did as asked. He couldn’t look. Not at Rude. Not at himself. His skin was so hot and flushed he felt feverish. He felt like he would melt into the bed and it would be a relief to never have to meet anyone’s eyes ever again.

Reno heard Rude’s rough, panting breath. His hand grabbed Reno’s hip like a vise and then, with a low,long curse, he came right against Reno, stripes of warm cum splattering inside of him, wet and thick. It was a very strange feeling.

“Now, baby,” Rude had said, his voice barely breaking through to Reno, “you’re gonna touch yourself.” Rude poured lube over Reno’s throbbing cock. “And I’m gonna watch my cum drip out.”

By the time they were done, and it didn’t actually take much longer, Reno was insensate. He doesn’t remember anything else from that night. He’s not sure his eyes opened again until the sun was well up the next day. He was so shaky in the morning that Rude had carried him into the bathroom.

That was the first time he saw the monster. And now here it is again. And Rude’s eyes have that same dark and predatory look that makes Reno feel afraid and turned on at the same time. 

The monster is stuck to some sort of base and Rude sets it on the bed right in front of Reno’s face. The black dildo pointing obscenely at the ceiling.

“Come here, baby.” Rude helps Reno get upright and shifts him to kneel behind the toy. Presses the lube back into his shaking hands. “Put it in.”

“But…” Reno trails off. 

Rude waits calmly, sitting back to look him over. “I thought you wanted to be good. Right?”

Reno’s mouth goes dry. He’s not sure he can get the thing inside him by himself. Last time he was comfortable and relaxed and well-prepared and… Rude did it.

He wonders what Rude will do if he says no. But he doesn’t. He knows what he is supposed to say and the thought of letting those words cross his tongue again… agreeing to do this because _Rude wants it…_ makes his cock harden.

“Yes, daddy,” he says, looking straight into amber eyes. Rude quirks his lips in satisfaction.

Reno pours a ton of lube over the thing. He needs all the help he can get. Shuffles forward so his knees rest on the base, closes his eyes and lowers down. He doesn’t go far before the monster bumps into his ass, feeling much too large for its supposed purpose. He shimmies his hips a bit to get it in the right position, with the fat tip pressed up against his hole. 

Reno is so wound up he can’t even hear anything over the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He takes a few deep breaths and presses himself downward. The monster presses hard against him but doesn’t slip inside. Two fingers wasn’t nearly enough.

_Fuck. This is gonna be rough._

Pressing his lips together, Reno gives it another shot. He strokes his cock a few times, focusing on the pleasure. Trying to relax. Blows out a deep breath and pushes down harder. The pressure against him increases until, suddenly, the head of the toy shoves inside of him, stretching him so painfully that he cries out. 

Reno has to pause for a minute, whimpering. He wills his quivering muscles to relax around the toy. He blinks open his eyes and sees Rude is stroking himself lazily, looking at Reno like he’s dinner.

“Don’t stop,” he says.

Reno lets his weight carry him down, bit by bit. Lifts up slightly to try and relieve some of the stretch inside of him and then shifts a bit lower. The pressure is intense. He strokes his cock very lightly, just trying to take the edge off as he inches downward. He wonders how much Rude is going to make him take.

Last time Rude pushed a shocking portion of the toy inside of him, and Reno doesn’t think he has any hope of accomplishing the same on his own. Once he thinks that there are at least a few inches of it inside of him, he opens his eyes, hoping that Rude might find it sufficient.

He’s surprised to see that Rude has silently moved much closer and is now kneeling in front of him, still mostly dressed and watching intently.

“How does it feel, baby?” Rude asks in a surprisingly sympathetic voice.

Reno can’t help the whine that comes out of his throat. “It hurts, daddy.”

Rude’s pupils dilate. “I know, baby. You’re being so good for me.” He reaches forward to stroke Reno where he’s stretched tight around the toy. His other hand rests on Reno’s shoulder and gives a comforting squeeze. But the words that come out of his mouth…

“Fuck yourself on it.”

“Daddy,” Reno gasps, eyes going wide. Every time he says the word it feels more instinctive.

But Rude doesn’t relent. He stares at Reno expectantly, hand stroking his balls. Reno realizes Rude is patient enough to keep him pinned on this fucking thing all night. He gives it a try. Shifts up an inch or so and lets himself fall back down on it. Can’t help but whimper at the feeling of that huge thing moving inside him. It’s not as painful as when it pushes deeper into him—but it’s also not comfortable, dragging against his stretched flesh.

Reno fucks himself slowly for a few breaths, sliding up and lowering down. He does it enough to start getting used to it. And then. _Fuck._ He realizes that the pressure on his shoulder is increasing. Rude’s hand is growing heavier. The weight of it is pressing down on him with each bounce, inexorably forcing Reno to take a bit more inside of him with each downward motion. 

“Daddy!” Reno begs, squirming, then immediately regretting it. He grasps onto Rude’s arms. _“I can’t.”_ But he doesn’t stop moving.

“You can.” Rude strokes his hand gently over the head of his cock, an odd counterpoint the quiet violence of the hand, practically shoving him down now.

Neither stops, but the quiet, wounded sounds emerging from Reno’s throat pitch into a desperate tone. His fingers dig into Rude’s skin. He turns his watery gaze up to the ceiling.

Finally, Rude stops. Stills Reno with quiet word and then wraps him up in strong arms, still speared on the monster. Rude kisses under Reno’s jawline, arching him back into his arms. The shift changes the pressure of the toy inside Reno and suddenly it’s pressing hard, right against his prostate. 

“Ooooh _fuck,”_ he moans.

It’s too much. Reno feels like his consciousness is being squeezed thin between pleasure and pain. He realizes he’s muttering nonsense and his hands are about to tear Rude’s shirt.

Rude draws him back upright and kisses the wet streaks on his cheeks. 

“You ready to be fucked, baby?

Reno nods a pathetic assent into Rude’s shoulder. His thighs are shaking with strain. Rude’s hands are gentle around his ribs are he carefully eases Reno up and off the monster.

The relief is immense and Reno falls limp against Rude’s chest, breathing deep sighs that it’s over. That he was able to do what Rude asked.

Rude lays him back on the pillows and lets him sprawl out and shift around and stretch his limbs comfortably. The bedding is so soft against his skin it feels like he’s floating. His mind is floating too. This is a good feeling. The relief of having done well. The release of tension. The warm tingle that remains when pain subsides. 

Usually Reno doesn’t get to feel this way until they’re done, but nobody’s come yet and Rude’s still got most of his clothes on. Reno can hear him stripping down nearby. And then, there’s the pleasant warmth of his chest pressing Reno down into the bed.

Rude’s kissing his mouth. Stroking his shoulders. Letting their cocks glide against each other. It’s soft and affectionate and Rude isn’t usually this way with him when they’re in the thick of it. Reno has to _earn_ it. Which makes it taste even better. 

Rude shifts his knees in between Reno’s legs to spread him wide and reaches down to stroke down over his cock. Trace down his balls and find his stretched, abused flesh. His touch is gentle. Reno is still slick and he slides in two fingers easily.

They both hiss.

“Fuck, baby. You’re so soft,” Rude groans into his neck. “You’re gonna take me like butter.” 

Reno whimpers as Rude strokes inside of him. 

“Sore?” Rude asks.

Reno bobs his head—he knows better than to hide it—and the sound that comes from Rude’s throat sends a shiver through him. Rude likes it when he’s sore.

Rude kisses down his chest and over his hip and then pushes his thighs up to his chest. When Rude touches his elbow, Reno slides his arms under his knees to hold them there.

“Good boy. Let me see you.”

Then Rude slides two hands underneath him to lift his hips up. Reno is expecting Rude to ogle him like last time. He isn’t expecting his tongue.

It’s torture. The idea of Rude licking his goddamn asshole overloads all the synapses in Reno’s brain. It’s hot and humiliating and overwhelming and it feels _really good_ and he just _can’t._

The first time Rude did it, Reno couldn’t stay still, despite being told several times to _stop fucking moving around_. He squirmed so much that Rude stopped and tied his arms and legs with enough black rope that he couldn’t move an inch. Then he worked his tongue over Reno so thoroughly, for what felt like hours, that Reno was sobbing and begging by the time Rude made him come.

The next day Reno’s muscles were so sore from straining against the ropes that he could barely walk or lift his arms. And he didn’t even get fucked.

And now Rude’s tongue, slow and hot and wet is tracing over him, exploring and probing. Seeing where he’s sensitive and where he hurts and exactly how soft he is after taking that goddamn “toy.”

Reno hates it when Rude does this but it still makes him shake with want.

“Daddy, please…” he starts, but chokes off when he feels Rude’s tongue glide deep inside of him. Reno curls his toes and flexes his feet trying hard to stay still. He knows he’ll be punished if he moves too much. 

Rude doesn’t stop until the fight goes out of Reno. Until his feet relax and his back and his neck and he sinks into the bed panting and twitching.

“You ready for my cock, baby?”

“Yes, daddy.” Reno’s voice is slurred.

Rude unwinds Reno’s arms and knocks his legs wide again.

“Ask me.”

Reno takes in a deep breath, gathering himself back into one piece. “Please give me your cock, daddy.”

Rude slicks his cock and hovers over him. “Again.”

“Please, fuck me,” Reno says with more urgency.

“Who?”

“You, daddy,” Reno moans. “Please fuck me, daddy!”

“Good boy.”

Rude thrusts inside of him and there’s absolutely no resistance. His hips meet Reno’s ass with none of the usual push and pull and slow, groaning strain. He slides in with a soft sigh like he belongs there and starts moving immediately in long, smooth strokes.

It feels different to Reno. He’s used to the pressure of Rude forcing him open, bit by bit. The intense concentration needed to relax and the way it always draws him into that deep, dark headspace where it’s such a relief to have Rude in control. 

But today, he’s already been there… and this, now, is easy. Easy enough that he can pay attention to the feel of Rude’s skin under his hands, the muscles shifting in his back, the scrape of stubble on his cheek. And while he does feel the slightest bit sore and stingy, he mostly feels good. 

Too good. Good enough that he might even let Rude do this again without complaining. Reno lets his hips roll to meet Rude’s rhythm. Without the usual friction, it feels so natural to take him in deep.

Rude draws back and gets a hand around Reno’s cock, stroking in time as he fucks him.

“Come for me, baby,” he says, but Reno doesn’t need the encouragement. The first stroke of Rude’s hand sent him hurtling towards the edge. He couldn’t possibly be stopped now when it feels so good to be fucked and touched by Rude. The wave is building down through Reno’s gut, so slow he could count down the seconds until it all washes over him.

Reno’s eyes open wide to see Rude right above him, watching. His hands reach out to grab onto Rude’s neck, and he gasps out _daddy_ as he falls into Rude’s eyes and comes over his hand. All the muscles inside of him squeeze, reawakening that sore, stretching pain. He can’t believe it feels so good mixed in with pleasure.

“Good. Boy,” Rude breaths each word out, barely able to keep his eyes open as he comes deep in Reno.

It’s quiet in Rude’s bedroom as they breathe and separate and stretch tired limbs. 

Like he always does, Rude gets a hot, wet washcloth and wipes any mess from Reno’s skin. Reno is often floating at this point and some days he doesn’t even remember being cleaned and dressed and tucked into the bed. When that’s the case—that he’s fucked unconscious and falls straight to sleep—he wakes up feeling calm, rested, and uncharacteristically content.

On the weekends Rude lets him sleep as late as he wants in Rude’s comfortable bed. On the weekdays, Rude wakes him for work with coffee. Reno’s not sure he’s ever slept as deep and as long as he does at Rude’s place. There’s something reassuring about Rude’s presence. Hearing Rude move about the apartment only seems to make Reno sleep better.

But tonight, Reno’s unusually awake and it makes him feel awkward to be doted on.

“I can dress myself, thanks,” he says, sitting up and reaching for the tee shirt in Rude’s hands. He always sleeps in Rude’s shirts here. They smell good.

Rude ignores him and pulls it over his head. “Oh, let daddy help you,” he says with grin that’s big enough to show teeth.

“God dammit, Rude,” Reno says, blushing and shoving his hands away so he can get his arms through the sleeves. 

"Don’t make me put you over my knee, son.”

Reno looks stunned for a minute and puts his face in his hands. “Please don’t do this, Rude,” he says plaintively.

Rude laughs at him and hands over a pair of boxers in his size. “Got more than you bargained for, partner?”

“Shut up, asshole.”

"You kiss your father with that mouth?”

“That’s it. I’m leaving.” Reno swings his legs over the edge of the bed only to be lifted up into Rude’s arms.

“I doubt you can even walk, Reno.” Rude nuzzles his neck. “How about a movie?”

Reno gives him a skeptical look.

“I’ll stop,” Rude says, chuckling, as he carries Reno into his living room.

He drops Reno at the couch to pick out a movie—usually something with cars or explosions—and returns with two mugs of tea and one bowl of ice cream.

Reno never drank tea before, but he’ll admit that it’s nice in the evening. He holds the bowl of ice cream close to his chest and offers one spoonful in five or so to Rude. Rude doesn’t like sweets as much, but it’s kinda nice to share it.

When the ice cream is gone, Rude pulls Reno to lay with his head against his chest. He pulls the tie out of Reno’s hair and combs his fingers through it, rubbing down his neck and shoulders and back.

It feels good but Reno still feels odd being cuddled. Rude is the first person in his life to do this and it seems selfish. Or perhaps overly-indulgent? Like he’s a spoiled child.

“You don’t have to do this,” Reno says.

“Do what?”

“This aftercare stuff. I’m fine.” Reno has read up on this a bit.

Rude doesn’t say anything for several breaths.

“Is that what you think this is?” Rude’s hand has worked down to Reno’s lower back. Knuckles pressing along his spine.

“Of course.” Reno shrugs his shoulders. “You fuck me like a maniac, and then you take care of me afterwards so I don’t freak out or feel bad or whatever”

Rude is quiet again.

“What?” Reno asks, annoyed.

“Have you ever been in a relationship?”

Now Reno is quiet. _Is that what this is? Is that different than someone being nice to you because they want to fuck you?_

 _“_ I dunno.” _No._

 _“_ Does it bother you?” Rude asks.

“What?”

“This.” He combs the hair off Reno’s forehead and scratches his fingers against his scalp.

“No,” Reno mumbles. Because it feels fucking good. “You just don’t have to.”

“If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t,” Rude says. “You know, you can touch me too.”

“I do,” Reno protests.

“Even if we’re not fucking.”

“… yeah. I know.” Reno hadn’t realized that he didn’t touch Rude like this. Casually. He sort of wants to now, but he isn’t sure exactly how to start. 

He lays his hand on Rude’s chest, near his face, and immediately feels awkward. His fingers are over Rude’s nipple and…

Before he can shift around more, Rude reaches up to cover Reno’s hand with his own, letting his fingers slip between Reno’s.

For a second, it feels more intimate than anything else they’ve done that night. Then for longer. Rude's hand is warm and Reno's fingers feel so sensitive he can hardly keep them still. The noise of the movie fades away behind the quiet rush of Rude's breath. Reno closes his eyes so he doesn’t have to look at Rude’s long fingers twined around his. 

When he opens them again, he’s back in Rude’s bed. He can feel warmth at his back and breath on his neck. It’s comfortable and dark and late and he doesn't have anywhere else to be. So he goes back to sleep.


End file.
